South Carolina's Children

Have you ever been to a Clemson football screen and seen this pop up on the big Paw Vision? Or perhaps driven down one of our state roads and seen it plastered on a billboard? Have you ever wondered about those kids...who they are, where they are, maybe even how to get involved?

I have seen the above logo for a couple years now and what once started as a compassionate pull on my heart has morphed into a passion that is changing my DNA. The logo represents children in SC's care. In pursuing this passion I have picked up some numbers involving these kids.

Numbers that have really messed with me.
I just have to share them with you.

In our state 5,000 children, give or take, are in foster care on a daily basis.

Well over 700 children are legally free for adoption...this means their parents' rights to them have been terminated and they are waiting for a forever family.

Over 1,600 have a plan of adoption over their life, meaning the chances of them returning to their biological family is very bleak.

The average stay of a child in foster care is two and a half years, but for some it's much longer.

In the USA there are 107, 000 children legally free and waiting to be adopted into a family.


I can't get these facts out of my head. Five thousand children means these are children we see on a daily basis. They aren't tucked away out of sight. They are all around us. They go to school with our children. They go to church with us. And the bottom line is they are just kids.

What can we do to help?

We can advocate. We can foster. We can adopt. We can mentor. We can pray hard.

Please join me in praying for these kiddos. They are worth it. I know this post is a little heavy, but it's worth it to me. If you have questions, I'll try to answer them. Leave me a comment. If you're wondering how you can help, know that there is a place for you, and it is a battle worth fighting.


To view the USA's waiting children click here

South Carolina Heart Gallery