Show Hope’s Local, National, and Global Impact
Steven and I are continually astounded by God’s faithfulness through countless donors, supporters, and prayer warriors who are giving of their time and resources to further God’s kingdom in the here and now. Thank you.
Mary Beth Chapman
As you might imagine, Show Hope has seen changes and faced challenges in the landscape of adoption as it has evolved over the past two decades. Yet in light of all the changes over the past 20+ years, Show Hope’s commitment to our mission has remained strong—the mission to care for orphans by engaging the Church and reducing barriers to adoption. Our mission statement—as laid out by Founders Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman—serves as a guide for our work and a litmus test for opportunities that come our way. It has helped us remain focused amid the changes and challenges we’ve faced. And in that focus and clarity, we have been able to partner with and provide support to other like-minded organizations and entities that are also serving children, families, and communities who are vulnerable.
Local Impact
Tennessee Kids Belong (TKB), a chapter of America’s Kids Belong, exists to improve the experience and outcome for children impacted by foster care within the state. In the past year, Show Hope granted TKB $45,000 for its I Belong Project, a video series spotlighting the stories, faces, and voices of children in foster care who are eligible for adoption and in need of love, secure, and permanent families.
“TKB is a long-time partner and long-standing respected organization within the State of Tennessee,” Show Hope Executive Director Kristin Parks said. “The work they are doing to improve the lives of children in foster care is so needed and inspiring, and it is a privilege to work alongside them in caring holistically for children who are vulnerable.”
The partnership between Show Hope and Empowered to Connect (ETC) encompasses a long history, and this year, we were honored to provide a grant of $100,000 to ETC. This funding will support ETC’s Safe & Secure TN (SSTN), a program that “offers multi-disciplinary training to caregivers and professionals supporting children who have experienced adversity, trauma, and loss.” More specifically, this grant will ensure the continued growth of SSTN Community Collectives, which are groups of organizations that are committed to providing trauma-informed care for children and families within their own communities. In addition to the SSTN Collectives, we are excited to provide funding for a TBRI® (Trust-Based Relational Intervention®) One-Day Summit through ETC as well as funding for its Prepared Churches initiative, with an aim to educate church leaders through a five-week course to understand the importance of trauma-informed best practices for adoption and foster care ministries.
“Through its program areas of focus, Empowered to Connect aims to increase access to care for individuals, families, and communities through attachment-rich, trauma-informed resources,” Show Hope Co-founder Mary Beth Chapman said. “And to know that so much of the work being done today, guided by Tona and Mark Ottinger, finds its roots in the work of Show Hope only further strengthens the partnership and bond we have with ETC.”
National Impact
On July 1, The Adoption and Foster Care Clinic of Birmingham, Alabama, officially opened its doors; however, this now non-profit is not necessarily new, being historically housed in the Children’s of Alabama pediatric hospital network. Joining the clinic in its vision to expand work and impact, Show Hope was able to provide a $100,000 grant for audio/visual resources and education.
“Here at The Adoption and Foster Care Clinic, we have been blown away by the kindness of Show Hope supporting our new clinic,” Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Chambers said. “They have given us a generous grant that funds our Audio Visual Education Center. This center will allow us to create high-quality educational materials to reach more families with solid teaching that will help them on their parenting journey. We are also thankful for the friendship and encouragement of Show Hope. They have offered generous and much-needed advice as we work to open our doors.”
Global Impact
For the past few years, Show Hope has had the opportunity to provide financial support to A Family for Every Orphan (AFFEO), a faith-based organization that helps children who have been orphaned find loving families in their countries of origin. More specifically, Show Hope’s support has helped to sustain AAFEO’s relief efforts in Ukraine. Initially, our support helped fund on-the-ground humanitarian aid, with additional funding going toward TBRI work in Ukraine.
“Hearing the stories of a child hugging their mom for the first time … a child beginning to make eye contact … or a child being able to identify their need and find their voice to express it … all because parents and caregivers were equipped with training and tools to understand their child’s need for felt safety, love, and connections … brings all immense joy and HOPE,” AFFEO President Heather Dyer said. “In a time in Ukraine when every child and family is impacted by trauma of war, and more foster and adoptive parents are stepping up to care for children [displaced] by war, TBRI is playing a critical role in giving families the hope they need to help children heal.”
This year, Show Hope’s partnership with AFFEO continues, with further support through a $35,000 grant. As AFFEO sees it, this grant is an investment in TBRI Practitioners across Ukraine by providing training, implementation, and mentoring. AFFEO’s goal is to have two practitioners in every region (25) of Ukraine by 2026. In addition to the support for TBRI Practitioners, Show Hope’s funding will also further support trauma therapy and TBRI camps for children. With more than 4.8 million Ukrainian children displaced, the need is, perhaps, greater than ever, and through AFFEO’s efforts, children are learning to self-regulate, how to trust and connect, and even play with their parents. In turn, parents are also being equipped with TBRI tools to help strengthen connection and attachment with their children.
“The Show Hope grant has significantly boosted TBRI development across Ukraine,” explained Raya Shelashka, a Ukrainian national, TBRI Practitioner, and recipient of a Show Hope TBRI Practitioner Training grant. “This funding has empowered practitioners to enhance their efforts in implementing TBRI with children and families, fostering healing and resilience in regions heavily affected by war and displacement. The grant has facilitated essential training, resources, and support, enabling practitioners to effectively address the complex needs of children who have experienced trauma.
“Show Hope’s support is not only improving the well-being of individual children and families but also strengthening the capacity of communities to support their most vulnerable members, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and hopeful future for Ukraine,” Raya continued.
It is not lost on us that these local, national, and global impacts are only made possible by faithful supporters, who join us in prayer and through sacrificial giving. As we look ahead, we know that obstacles may stand in our way, but God so often grows those obstacles into opportunities.
“Since our earliest days, it has always been a gift and privilege to support children and families directly,” Mary Beth shared. “And because of the Lord’s bountiful provision, we are also able to pour into other like-minded organizations and entities that are working to care holistically for children who are vulnerable and families in pursuit of those children. Steven and I are continually astounded by God’s faithfulness through countless donors, supporters, and prayer warriors who are giving of their time and resources to further God’s kingdom in the here and now. Thank you.”
