Fund 1:27
The Idlewild Foundation has committed to helping in the ministry area of foster care. We have established Fund 1:27 to allow you to join us in this service to children who are at risk. Fund 1:27 is based scripturally on:
James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Helping foster children is a difficult ministry area because of the involvement of the government, law enforcement, courts, and a variety of ministries and agencies, often with differing interests and goals. It can be so difficult and so lacking in support that 50% of families who become licensed to be foster parents take one placement and stop! This is a ministry area at Idlewild and the Tampa Bay region where we feel we can make the greatest kingdom impact, and help the children so loved by Jesus at the same time. Idlewild helps families with more than fifty foster children and the Foundation intends to boost that support, increase the reach of that support, and have this ministry serve as an outreach to families with spiritual as well as financial and emotional needs.
Join us in this support. Our goal is to raise $127,000 each year for this ministry. We can to do this with 1,000 donations of $127. This is a lot, but with this money, we can improve the support for the foster families served by Idlewild and many more.
Watch as the families participating in this ministry and the families helping them receive additional support in many forms – counseling, training, welcome home packages, financial aid, scholarships for sports, ZooTampa, the Florida Aquarium, scholarships for education.
We will be adding more over time. Our goal is for these families to do more than survive – we want them to thrive!
How You Can Help!
If you don’t know how to help, there are many options.
Prayer
The most important act is for you to pray for the parents inviting foster children into their homes and families and pray for the foster children themselves.
Care Communities
Another important service you can offer is to join a Care Community for a foster family living near you. At times they need help because, for example, one of several children will have a doctor or dentist appointment, and someone has to watch the children. Each Care Community has a leader who keeps this service from being too frequent or time-consuming, but time you can give is a treasure to and a blessing for the foster families. This can be arranged through The Idlewild Foundation at 813-264-8713.
Take a Meal
Many of our foster families have listed meals as their greatest need. Spend a few minutes, cook a meal, deliver it and bless a foster family. This can be arranged through The Idlewild Foundation at 813-264-8713.
Become a Guardian ad Litem (“GAL”)
You do not have to be a lawyer to be a GAL. And it isn’t a major time commitment. But by giving a little time and attention, you can become an advocate for a child caught in what is sometimes a 4-way tug of war between the child’s biological parents, the foster parents, the case worker, and the legal system. The state trains you and helps you with this advocacy to save a child. For more information, call us at (813) 264-8713.
Send a Card
If you would be willing to just encourage a foster family, let them know you are praying for them and support them lovingly, you can arrange to send them cards on special days, anniversaries, birthdays or during the holidays. This can be arranged through The Idlewild Foundation at 813-264-8713.
All administrative, overhead and operational costs of The Idlewild Foundation are covered by our sponsor donors. 100% of your donations to Fund 1:27 go to serve foster families.
Contribute to Fund 1:27 at The Idlewild Foundation
How much and for what? We have options for you! Please consider making a monthly pledge and gift! Fund 1:27 isn’t just here for 2021; we want this to be an enduring, self-sustaining and self-supporting ministry in an area that has an unending need.
$1,000 – fund the foster family appreciation dinner in October at Idlewild – and you can join us at the dinner!
$400 – Summer camp with Idlewild for a foster teen
$250 – A Florida Aquarium Annual Family Plus Pass
$127 – Our goal recurring donation
$100 – Welcome Home gift card for a new foster child
$100 – Haircuts for a year for a foster child
$100 – Swim lessons for a foster child
$100 – Idlewild recreation registration for a foster child
$90 – Soccer, flag football, baseball or softball at Idlewild for a foster child
$50 – A Valentine’s Day meal for foster parents
$50 – Back to School supplies for a foster child
$25 – A Christmas gift card for a foster child
Make your donations to The Idlewild Foundation, 18333 Exciting Idlewild Boulevard, Lutz, FL 33556 and indicate your gift purpose. We are an established 501(c)(3) charity and all donations to Fund 1:27 go to ministry and none to TIF salaries, overhead or administrative expenses! In fact, most work at TIF is by volunteers since our officers and Board are all volunteers. For those who itemize, these donations are permitted deductions on your tax return.