Northwest Arkansas Childrens Shelter

Foster for the Future

Foster for the Future serves as a Private Licensed Placement Agency (PLPA) responsible for recruiting, licensing, and supporting foster families in Benton, Washington, Carroll, and Madison counties. The program addresses the shortage of qualified foster homes in the four-county area and provides an avenue for all interested families and individuals to become foster parents.

What Foster for the Future OfferS

  • Targeted Recruitment: Foster for the Future encourages all families or individuals willing to provide a safe and loving home to a child to consider becoming a foster parent.
  • Comprehensive Training and Licensing: SAFE home studies, Pre-service training (including virtual options), and annual continuing education offerings.
  • Holistic Family Support: 24/7 crisis response, monthly case management, trauma-informed care, and referrals to licensed mental health professionals.
  • Strong Community Collaboration: NWACS will coordinate services with the Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), CASA, Project Zero, and other partners.
  • Commitment to Permanency: Emphasis on reunification with biological families while supporting long-term stability and normalcy in care.

Foster for the Future is built around a commitment to permanency, stability, and child well-being. The program is designed not just to meet the urgent needs of today, but to build a long-term network of trauma-informed families and professionals ready to support Arkansas’s most vulnerable children.

Get Involved

Community members interested in becoming foster parents or supporting the mission of Foster for the Future are encouraged to get in touch! Please complete the interest form below.

Foster for the Future Interest Form

Are you?

Jacob

Jacob arrived at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter one rainy night along with his five brothers and sisters. He was malnourished and small for his age. His older sisters were protective and unsure about trusting the Shelter staff with his care. They had all just been rescued from an unimaginable situation and didn’t know what […]

Read more about JacobImpact stories

Meet Jacob

Jacob arrived at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter one rainy night along with his five brothers and sisters. He was malnourished and small for his age. His older sisters were protective and unsure about trusting the Shelter staff with his care. They had all just been rescued from an unimaginable situation and didn’t know what to expect.As the days went by, the siblings began to relax and understand that they were safe at the Shelter. They learned to trust the staff and eventually shared their story. The truth was that Jacob had been locked in a closet for 23 hours a day – let out only to eat one daily meal.
When his parents were especially frustrated with him, they would beat him. He had never attended school and was years behind socially and developmentally.The oldest girls were forced into a sexual trafficking scheme organized by their parents. They knew that if they left home, the same treatment was inevitable for their younger siblings, so they stayed to protect them. This went on for years. However, as the abuse targeted toward Jacob escalated, the girls became terrified. They were convinced that their parents would eventually kill him.They knew they had to find a way out.They wrote a letter describing the horrors that were happening in their home and left it behind in a public place – just hoping the right person would find it and report it. Thankfully, the letter ended up in the right hands and a call was made to the child abuse hotline. That call resulted in all six of the children being removed from the abusive home and arriving at the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter.
Throughout his first weeks at the Shelter, Jacob’s top priority was food. He was so excited at meal time that he would sing the daily menu! Having ready access to food was a new experience for him.
Despite all of the trauma in his past, Jacob had the sweetest heart and a smile for everyone he met. He loved giving high-fives, fist bumps and hugs. He was constantly searching for connections with the Shelter staff and the other children. He was everyone’s biggest cheerleader and quickly won the hearts of all the volunteers and visitors.

Due to his medical issues and developmental delays, Jacob was with us for several months. During his stay, he received individualized case management, counseling, medical and dental care and trauma-centered education – helping him overcome years of neglect. During his time at the Shelter, Jacob almost completely overcame his food insecurities, anxiety, depression and malnutrition.

Jacob now loves to ride his bike, go fishing and play sports with friends. In addition, due to the care that Jacob received at the Shelter, his older siblings could take time to focus on themselves and their healing, which gave them all time to just be kids again!

I love it here because I feel safe. The staff are here for me when I need them. Plus, I got to go to a Razorback game!

Jesse, age 11

Due to a rough childhood, I had lost all hope in life. The Shelter changed my life for the better. I’ve been given opportunities I never, ever thought I could get in life.”

Rhiannon, age 17

Thank you for being here and helping take care of us. We love you all!

Pearson siblings, ages 12, 8, 6