Foster Care

Recently, the Texas legislature announced its adoption and implementation of the Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC) Kinship Licensing Standards, which were unveiled in October of this year. These updated standards recognize the unique challenges kinship families face and thoughtfully remove many barriers that previously overwhelmed the licensing process. This shift precedes the federal government’s move to allow states to ...

For Diane Wingert, fostering is a calling, not just a role.  “I've worked with children from all walks of life and over time I realized that the kids who needed the most understanding and structure often had the fewest people willing to take them in,” Wingert said. According to Wingert, becoming a Treatment Foster Care parent with Arrow felt like ...

At Arrow, our staff is in the business of heart work. An 11-year-old and his newfound family is an exceptional example of this. The Houck family recently finalized the adoption of their son Jecht. This adoption is a remarkable success, preceded by months of hurdles, tremendous efforts by multiple parties and unwavering commitment. According to Leah Wilson, Arrow’s Director of ...

Arrow Child & Family Ministries received 92 bicycles from Texas Baseball Tournaments on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, as part of an annual holiday donation benefiting local foster families.  This special donation included a wide range of sizes, colors and styles to meet the needs of children of all ages. Texas Baseball Tournaments has partnered with Arrow year after year, collecting ...

The Brownwood team joined community members in San Angelo for Rally the Village, an event hosted by Open Homes Initiative, to inspire and mobilize support for foster care. The evening featured keynote speaker Jason Johnson, author of “Re-Framing Foster Care” and a nationally recognized voice on foster care advocacy. His message focused on the urgent need for foster homes and ...

Together, We Helped Kids Start the School Year Strong Hundreds of children across Texas walked into their classrooms ready to learn, thanks to your support of Arrow’s Back-to-School campaign, You provided the tools they need to succeed and you reminded them they are not alone. Some of the incredible community supporters of our Back-to-School event were: HEB, Wal-Mart, Ticket to ...

Arrow is overjoyed that the Harvard Kennedy School invited our Texas Foster Care Kinship Leadership Team to participate in their Government Performance Lab.  The national cohort brings together child welfare and foster care agency teams committed to building kin-first systems that prioritize family connections and long-term stability for children. “This collaborative learning environment offers a unique opportunity to engage with ...

As Hispanic Heritage Month shines a light on the importance of culture and tradition, the Gutierrez family shares how their roots guide their journey as foster parents. “We're trying to teach the girls,” Yolanda Gutierrez said. “We are Mexican Americans, and we love our Mexican heritage.” Family is at the heart of Hispanic culture, and for these Arrow foster parents, ...

Shelly Hansen and her husband did not hesitate to say yes to welcoming their grandchildren into their home. Child Protective Services placed the children in their care after their daughter made the difficult decision to relinquish her rights. The Hansens chose to move forward with permanent managing conservatorship and adoption. “We have had the children with us since they were ...

Let’s meet Earlie and Retta Waller!  Their journey as Kinship grandparents began in 2023, when the Wallers took in their grandchildren following the devastating loss of one of the siblings due to physical abuse in their home. With hearts already open, they then opened their home to the five grandkids to ensure they remained together in the midst of this ...