Click here to impact vulnerable children and families in Kentucky and southern Indiana.
This Is What Hope Looks Like: One Family’s Journey Out of Homelessness
Not Alone: A Family’s Road to Home A Season of Hardship Beth never expected to be raising her teenage daughters while couch surfing. But after surgery forced her out of work for a time, stability disappeared. In early 2025, When OCA began working with Beth and her teenage daughters, Addie and Lily, the family was in survival mode. Out of …
Mentorship That Matters: Being a “Spotter” for Foster Youth
What does it mean to be a ‘spotter’ for foster youth? Spotters are used by weightlifters to encourage them and protect them as they grow stronger. They stand beside the athlete and assist, if and when, necessary. In life, we all need “spotters” from time to time. Think about it – when someone stands by your side through the difficult …
Jennie McKindles: Trauma Care Specialist & Family Coach
Meet Jennie McKindles, Trauma Care Specialist & Family Coach. When you talk with Jennie McKindles, one thing becomes clear right away: she has a deep heart for children and families navigating hard places. Her experience in foster/adoptive family care runs deep. Jennie has a brother who was adopted, a mom who counsels foster and adoptive families, and she serves as …
Orphan Care Alliance Helping Families Thrive
Intervention is Key for Struggling Families Families don’t struggle because they don’t care. Most struggle because they were never given what they needed in the first place. In Kentucky, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services utilizes an approach called Alternative Response, which focuses on supporting families early—before challenges escalate into crises. This model is proving effective because it …
Celebrate Foster and Adoptive Families
Beyond Applause When we think about celebrating foster and adoptive families, we often picture a moment at the front of a room: special Sundays, a name called, a few kind words spoken, hands clapping in appreciation. Those moments matter. Public recognition can be encouraging and affirming. Celebrating is easy when all we have to do is applaud or recognize obvious …
Debby Traffas: Family Outreach Coordinator
Meet Debby Traffas, OCA Family Outreach Caseworker. Debby Traffas has joined the Orphan Care Alliance team as a Family Outreach Caseworker serving the Salt River Trail region. She brings deep compassion, resilience, and a genuine love for connecting with families. Shaped by both faith and experience, Debby has a God-given ability to recognize unspoken needs. That intuition is supported by …
26 Ways to Get Involved with OCA in 2026
In no particular order 🙂 here are 26 ways you can get involved with Orphan Care Alliance in 2026: 1. Become a Life Coach: Mentor a youth (12+) with foster care or adoption experience for about an hour a week, helping them build life skills and healthy relationships. 2. Life Coach Events: Teach a class or life skill and/or host …
Amber Walsh: Family Outreach Coordinator
Meet Amber Walsh, our Family Outreach Coordinator. Amber Walsh has always had a heart for people walking through difficult seasons. Before joining Orphan Care Alliance, she spent years serving in ministries that cared for vulnerable adults. This included women experiencing homelessness, trauma, single motherhood, or even recovering from sex trafficking. But, over time, Amber began noticing a pattern: so …