Growth Potential

On Wednesday I met with our leadership team and Karen Waddell to begin looking at Maps, Data, and More Data to begin to chart our growth potential and strategy for national expansion. We had an exciting day.

Karen compiled a set of data from across the nation that included an index of criteria ranging from KWA’s (Kids Waiting for Adoption) to Poverty and Child Welfare Expenditures by State, among other factors. We spent the day looking for obvious pathways for growth and expansion of Buckner on a national scale. The information was eye-opening. We found that there are 514,000 children in Foster Care in the United States in any given year. Approximately 150,000 of these children are eligible for adoption. About 40,000 of those eligible for adoption are Infants (Birth through 2 years of age). Here is the surprise: About 50% of KWA’s are found in six states. About 20,000 children age out of Foster Care each year. Fifty percent of children who age out of care end up homeless within one year of aging out. That means about 10,000 teens in the United States of America join the ranks of the homeless every year, fresh out of Foster Care or some other type of Out of Home Care Program.

Once we gathered the data we participated in a ranking process to determine what states we should focus on. Karen worked the data and presenting the findings to the group. We found six states with a high priority that needed our attention and six other, second tier or second phase states that merit our attention as well. Our next step is to gather additional information about those twelve states to take a closer look in about two weeks. The team was mobilized to collect the data in preparation for our next meeting.

We may be asking some of our Director/Team Leaders to participate in our data collection. The process is beginning to gain momentum and we are moving quickly toward a well defined strategy for growth. Once we identify the potential growth areas, we will begin to develop business/ministry plans for implementation.

It is really happening! We are going national. I am so excited that I can’t stop thinking about it. We have the organization in place, four ministry networks are being launched this week and we are sinking our teeth into real data that points to the needs of children across the nation. This will happen. Resources will flow and we will see the Kingdom of God advanced in the lives of children and families.

Matthew records Jesus as saying “Seek first, the Kingdom of Heaven and all these things will be added to you” Matthew 6:33. To be able to say that the Kingdom of God is near to the lives of children who are poor, abandoned, abused, and at risk means we have to go near. We have move into the incarnational zone. We have to go to the places that Jesus would go if he was here on earth right now. I am convinced that if we seek the Kingdom first, everything we need will be added to our work and ministry. Our 128 year history shows that when we put the children first, people of all walks of life, of all denominational stripes, or no denominational affiliation at all tend to want to invest and get involved. Resource is the least of my concerns. Where God guides He provides!

Comments

[Albert Reyes]

Ken, thanks so much for your encouragement. I think we have turned the corner in our growth planning. I am sensing some great things for the Kingdom around the bend. We are on track to produce a pretty exciting and compelling plan by the end of July. From our conversations, it sounds like God is already at work lining up other elements in BI that will bring these plans into reality.

[Ken Hall]

This thrills me beyond words. My prayer is for God to give us wisdom as we make decisions, courage to look beyond human barriers, and faith in the family of God to be the instruments of our Lord to broken lives.