Greensboro, North Carolina, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With nearly 11,000 children in foster care and only 5,600 licensed foster homes statewide, Children’s Home Society of North Carolina (CHS) today announced the statewide launch of Real Families, Real Impact, a first of its kind initiative designed to inspire more families to consider fostering. The campaign uses authentic, documentary-style storytelling across multiple platforms to shed light on the realities of fostering and offers pathways for North Carolinians to get involved.
The Foster Care Crisis in North Carolina
Thousands of children across North Carolina are waiting for one thing many of us take for granted — a safe, loving family. The shortage of foster homes means children experience frequent moves, separation from siblings, and uncertainty about their future.
“Our state’s children are facing a crisis that’s too big to ignore,” said Shannon Enoch, Executive Director of Programs at CHS. “Every statistic represents a child who deserves a family. Through real stories told by real families, we hope people will see that fostering isn’t about being perfect – it’s about showing up with an open heart. This isn’t just feel-good storytelling. It’s real families, real struggles, and real love.”
Real Families, Real Impact is a multi-faceted campaign that brings the real, unfiltered side of foster care to life.
- Statewide Multimedia Campaign: Real CHS foster families are featured in broadcast and streaming commercials, digital ads, cinema spots, social media outreach, and long-form videos on CHS’s website and YouTube channels.
- Web Reality Series: Real Families, Real Impact: Meredith & Sione follows a North Carolina couple through the foster care licensing process, offering a transparent view of the journey.
- Podcast: In Real Life: Foster Care Unfiltered features foster parents sharing their lived experiences—the triumphs, heartbreaks, and everyday realities.
“This initiative reflects what makes CHS unique—our belief that stories change hearts, and hearts change lives,” said Becky Alley, Chief Marketing Officer. “By sharing real voices and real experiences, we hope to inspire more people to consider fostering.”
How to Get Involved
There are many ways North Carolinians can help change the future for a child in care:
- Become a Foster Parent: CHS offers training, support, and resources to guide families through the journey.
- Donate: Contributions help ensure foster families have what they need to thrive.
- Advocate: Raise awareness by sharing CHS’s message and campaign content to start conversations in the community and inspire others to make an impact.
Whether someone fosters, donates, or simply spreads the word, each action is a building block that ensures every child has the right to a safe, stable, and loving home.
To learn more, visit www.chsnc.org, listen to the podcast on all major podcast platforms, or watch the reality series and campaign videos on the CHS YouTube page.
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About Children’s Home Society of North Carolina
Children’s Home Society of North Carolina offers a network of services and support throughout North Carolina to help establish and sustain healthy, loving relationships in every family. For over 120 years, Children’s Home Society has provided a broad spectrum of programs and services including adoption, foster care, parenting education, family preservation, and teen responsibility. CHS believes in the importance of family, not only in the life of a child but also in the foundation of a community. For more information, visit www.chsnc.org.
- Becky Alley
- Shannon Enoch