Our Story

What started in 2003 in Chicago, IL with Dave and Karen Anderson opening their heart and home to host children, has blossomed into a global movement to keep children safe and families together. Safe Families for Children (SFFC) is an evidence-based, community-driven model that seeks to reframe how families are cared for and supported when facing challenging circumstances. The goal is to provide a safe and innovative alternative for isolated parents, building strong, resilient families for every local community.

Keeping Families Together

We’ve been present in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids since 2012. Safe Families surrounds families in crisis with a caring and compassionate community. We work quickly to connect children with a volunteer family. Our goal is to keep children safe and families together.

Once a parent’s life has stabilized and the home environment is healthy, we work with parents to reunite their family as soon as possible. We support families in Linn, Johnson, and Belle Plaine counties (subject to volunteer availability). We partner with community agencies throughout the Corridor in efforts to help empower families to get through crises and stay together.

Learn how you can join the movement of Safe Families! And if you’re a family in need, click here to receive help.

Our Objectives

Family Support & Stabilization

Many isolated parents struggle because of limited informal social supports and an unavailable extended family. The Circle of Support becomes the extended family needed to support both parents and children in stabilizing their families.

Child Welfare Deflection

The Circle of Support is intended as a preventive measure. Our volunteers provide temporary housing for children, giving parents the space they need to work through a crisis, allowing them to parent well, keep their families together, and avoid the foster care system.

Child Abuse Prevention

Providing an overwhelmed and under-resourced parent with a safe, temporary place for their children without threat of losing custody, along with a Circle of Support to help navigate the crisis situation and avert potential abuse/neglect episodes.

Our Core Values

We open our hearts, our hands, and our homes. We welcome strangers into our lives to find community, hope, and belonging. Staff and volunteers are willing to host and serve others, being role models as the hands and feet of Christ.

God’s generosity is evidenced all around us. Generous people are selfless, redemptive, and sacrificial, freely giving of their time, talents, treasure, and words. Giving to others helps us tangibly practice trusting in God rather than our riches or belongings.

Fuelled by mercy, we are moved to see and act to help those in need. Compassion allows us to “see” those in need and motivates us to respond with the love of Christ. Compassion means to “suffer with” and includes a desire to help alleviate that suffering.