What happens when a foster family is ready to quit, but the church steps in with real support?

In this Partners in Ministry Get to Know You segment, Dan Smith talks with Jacob Barthalow, Executive Director of Wildwood Collective in Saint Charles, Iowa. Wildwood Collective equips churches to care for foster, adoptive, and kinship families through practical support, training, wraparound care, respite nights, social worker appreciation, and community partnerships.

Jacob shares how one foster family was ready to surrender their license because they were exhausted and overwhelmed. After their church was trained to wrap around them with encouragement and support, that family not only continued fostering, but opened their home to four more children.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that not every church is called to do everything, but every church is called to do something.
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Wildwood Collective helps churches move from not knowing where to start to becoming active, practical support systems for families involved in child welfare. Through training, wraparound communities, respite nights, social worker appreciation, foster family support, and church partnerships, Wildwood Collective is helping change the narrative from “not enough” to “more than enough.”

Jacob shares the heart behind the ministry, the joy of seeing the Church step into true religion by caring for vulnerable children and families, and a powerful story of a foster family that was ready to give up until their church surrounded them with love, encouragement, and practical help.

This episode is an encouragement for pastors, churches, ministry leaders, foster families, adoptive families, kinship caregivers, and anyone who wants to see the Church serve vulnerable children and families in a deeper way.

Learn more about Wildwood Collective and how you can pray for, encourage, and support their ministry below.

Recorded on May 27, 2026. Originally published on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.