Justice For Orphans Celebrates $3 Million Impact in New York’s Capital Region and Hudson Valley

Care-Sharing Technology Tackles Foster Care Crisis

Justice For Orphans (JFO) is thrilled to share that the estimated economic impact resulting from its work in connecting community partners with child-serving professionals in New York’s Capital Region and Hudson Valley has reached over $3,000,000, and continues to grow.

"By bringing care-sharing technology to a network of child-serving professionals and responders, Justice For Orphans has bridged the gap between those who are aware of needs – social workers, school liaisons, and others – and community members who wish to serve their neighbors with compassion and dignity. In other words, we have given the community at large a way to join together in providing for the vetted needs of area children and families in crisis,” said JFO Executive Director Kathi Sewak. 

“The economic impact of JFO’s efforts goes far beyond the cost of bills paid or items purchased and delivered,” Sewak concluded, “it creates connections that allow families to thrive, and it helps keep children out of foster care, which represents immediate cost savings to the State while also reducing the likelihood of unwanted outcomes such as human trafficking, incarceration, and mental health struggles.”

Since bringing CarePortal technology to the area in 2018, JFO has continued to expand its network, which currently serves 10 counties (Albany, Columbia, Greene, Montgomery, Orange, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, and Washington) and will soon be open in Fulton and Ulster counties as well. The organization recruits, trains, and provides support to participants such as businesses, churches, Departments of Social Services, pregnancy care centers, and school districts, allowing them to work together in serving vulnerable children and families.

Justice For Orphans (JFO; justicefororphansny.org) was founded in 2012 by Sandra Flach and Mary Slager. These adoptive and foster moms were wrecked by the global orphan crisis and the national foster care crisis. What began as advocacy and conferences has grown into a robust organization offering community care solutions, family support programs, and trauma-informed training. With a mission rooted in collaboration, compassion, and prevention, Justice For Orphans continues to build bridges between those who need help and those who can give it.