Keystone Family Alliance

Keystone Family Alliance

Ending the Child Welfare Crisis in Lancaster County & Pennsylvania

Our Mission

Keystone Family Alliance aims to educate, motivate, and equip every Christian in the state of Pennsylvania on the needs of orphans and vulnerable children, both locally and globally. We bridge the gap between the desperate needs in the child welfare system and Pennsylvania churches. By engineering wraparound Care Communities, Keystone Family Alliance provides tangible support, prayer, resources, and aid, resulting in foster families who are involved longer and stronger.

The Crisis

Today, more than 300 children in Lancaster County are in foster care, but there are not enough local families to offer them safe homes. 

This means: 

• 1 in 3 children in foster care will be placed outside their home community—separated from familiar schools, friends, and support networks.
• 24% of children will be placed in institutions, rather than in families.

The foster care system faces additional critical challenges:

• The process of certifying new foster families is time-intensive, often stretching over several months to a year— placing significant demands on agencies' time and resources.
• Once certified, 50% of these foster families leave within their first year, typically because of isolation, burnout, and a lack of consistent support—putting additional strain on caseworkers and the system as a whole.

The Solution

Keystone Family Alliance believes the local church can be the catalyst for lasting change. 

Our approach:

• Educate churches and community leaders about the realities and opportunities within the child welfare system.
• Motivate individuals and congregations to engage in advocacy and care, using their unique skills and callings.
• Equip churches with step-by-step guidance to launch a Family Advocacy Ministry (FAM), creating teams of volunteers ("Care Communities") that walk alongside foster, kinship, and adoptive families with practical support.

When families are surrounded with ongoing care and encouragement, outcomes for children improve dramatically, caseworker burnout drops, and more families foster longer—building stability and hope in our community.

Get Involved

Every person can play a meaningful role in a child’s story—we want to help you discover how your unique gifts and passions can make a difference. 

Ways you can help: 

• Care Community Volunteer: Join a small team (6–8 people) to assist a foster or adoptive family with meals, childcare, and household tasks, ensuring no family has to walk this journey alone. Learn More About Care Communities
• Gateway Volunteer: Join a volunteer community responding to specific needs—whether it’s providing a bed for a foster family, clothing for an adoptive family, or kitchen supplies for a biological family. When a local family has a need, you’ll be alerted, making your impact immediate and direct. Register For Gateway
• Church Partnership: When churches unite and mobilize volunteers, we bring hope and stability to children, foster families, and front-line social workers alike. Learn How Your Church Can Get Involved
• Financial Giving: Individuals, churches, and businesses can become monthly or annual donors. Your financial support fuels advocacy, training, and wraparound care for foster families in Lancaster County. Become a Monthly Supporter

Your support—whether giving, volunteering, or partnering—strengthens families and changes outcomes for children in Lancaster County.

Together, We Can Make a Difference

Join us to end the child welfare crisis and bring lasting hope to our community.

Learn More