First Lady Cecilia Abbott Addresses DFPS Faith Leader Summit, Issues Call To Service To Help Texas Children

November 2, 2016 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

First Lady Cecilia Abbott addressed attendees this morning at the 2016 Texas Faith Leader Summit, hosted by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). The summit’s purpose is to develop ways that the faith community can help support and assist the children and families that DFPS serves. The First Lady issued a call to service to attendees to help provide needed services and support to the 28,000 Texas children living in substitute care.

“I want to enlist you to help establish a statewide faith-based ‘network of nurture’ – a network of individuals and families willing to open their hands, their hearts, or their homes to these beautiful children,” the First Lady told attendees. “A strong statewide faith-based network will serve as a framework to make sure these families are getting the resources and support they need. Your congregations are likely already full of members eager to help this vulnerable population of children, so I encourage you to challenge them to answer this call. Today can be a turning point toward a brighter future for another Texas child. Every child deserves the chance to succeed – and there are thousands of Texas children waiting for that chance.”

The First Lady encouraged attendees to learn more about ways they can answer the call by visiting http://www.adoptchildren.org or by calling their DFPS regional faith-based recruiter.