CARE PORTAL

What Is CarePortal?

In every community, there are children and families in crisis who need help, but for many a lack of community resources or access to them prevents them from getting the help that they really need. However, in every community, there are churches and people who care and want to take action, but what they need is a connection point and support.

In order to assist with these connections, an online technology platform was created to allow child welfare professionals to share with the surrounding church community, real needs in real-time through the online platform we know as CarePortal. The CarePortal network is already helping many children and families in crisis nationwide every day and providing an opportunity for the local Church to build relationships and assist in strengthening families with their support and presence. The CarePortal network of churches work alongside the local partnering child welfare professionals that are working directly with the children and their families. In cases of crisis and not of abuse or neglect, the local churches meet the physical needs and help to keep families together, preventing children from entering into the foster care system. This vetted system prevents foster care through the generosity of our community.

The CarePortal platform is being used effectively nationwide. With about 2,420 churches enrolled into the CarePortal network nationwide, 70,974 children have been served and the churches have had a $23,910,199 economic impact.

In 2019, Agape Ranch was thrilled to become a part of this nationwide impact on a local level and became the Implementing Partner of the CarePortal online platform for the Coastal Bend. The CarePortal platform was added as an additional program that Agape Ranch manages for Nueces, San Patricio, and Aransas Counties. Collectively within these three active counties in the Coastal Bend area, CarePortal has connected the local church to serve almost 800 families and almost 2,000 children in their community since 2016.

How Does CarePortal Work?

State Impact

Celebrate with us for being a part of serving 10,000 children through CarePortal in Texas as of July 2020.

Local Impact

Local agencies that are enrolled to submit vetted needs in the Coastal Bend through the CarePortal online platform:

Agape Ranch
Aransas County Children's Coalition
CASA of the Coastal Bend
Communities in Schools
Department of Family and Protective Services (CPS)
The Pregnancy Center of the Coastal Bend

Measurable impact per county: (as of September 2020)

Nueces County - (activated since 2016)

Families Served : 599
Children Served : 1,483
Economic Impact : $362,230
Churches Enrolled into CarePortal Network : 17

San Patricio County - (activated since 2018)

Families Served : 44
Children Served : 111
Economic Impact : $31,731
Churches Enrolled into CarePortal Network : 6

Aransas County - (activated since 2018)

Families Served : 151
Children Served : 390
Economic Impact : $135,477
Churches Enrolled into CarePortal Network : 6

To learn about a local story told by the CarePortal Point Person of one of the churches in the Coastal Bend Network

(Yorktown Baptist Church), please watch this video:

You Can Help

I Am A...

Church

What if each person in your church received real-time opportunities to meet the needs of the most vulnerable families in your community? Leveraging the power of a simple email and geo-radius technology, CarePortal helps to mobilize your church to be the hands and feet of Jesus and connects your church to the needs of foster children and hurting families in your zip code.

Enroll your church to join the CarePortal network.

Business/Organization

You and your employees can make a life-changing and measurable difference in the lives of at-risk kids in your own community. Learn more about county sponsorship, philanthropy, and volunteer opportunities for your business or organization.

Contact Susan Klaus, Executive Director, to further discuss your potential involvement.

susan@agaperanch.org

Person Who Cares

Sign-up yourself to combat the foster care crisis in your neighborhood. By joining the list of Community Responder for the Coastal Bend specific counties and communities, (Nueces County - North, Nueces County - South, Calallen/Robstown, San Patricio, and Aransas County), you will be able to see the needs of the families and help sponsor some or all of the items per family. A few examples of needs are: twin or toddler beds, bedding, car seats, groceries, Pack N Plays, utility and rent assistance, AC units, clothing, shoes, baby supplies, home appliances and furniture.

For More Information

If you are still unsure about how you would like to join the efforts of this localized program, we invite you to connect with Agape Ranch about your interest. Our team would love to share about CarePortal in the Coastal Bend and help guide you through the process of serving locally.

Your Contacts:

To get more information and learn about how your church, business, agency, or as an individual can become engaged in child welfare through the CarePortal, contact Yohance Warrick at yohance@agaperanch.org.
After connecting with Yohance, if you are interested in enrolling your church, business, agency, and yourself as part of the Coastal Bend CarePortal network, contact Jessica Blakeslee at jessica@agaperanch.org.