Homestead for Non-Profits: Customer Success

Foster Care Info Center

Challenge

Sharon LaCouture thought it was high time foster parents got the support and resources necessary to meet the challenge of providing quality care for their foster children. She had a vested interest in the cause. A survivor of her own difficult childhood, Sharon got involved in the foster care system so she could take in her niece when her sister was unable to care for the child. Right away she noticed that while the agency caseworkers were well organized and connected, but the foster parents were not. There were no formal channels through which the actual caregivers could exchange ideas among themselves. Sharon decided to change that.

Solution

Although she had no technical background, Sharon thought a Web site would be just the thing. She remembered seeing the Homestead logo and since the company name fit her topic so well, she decided to give it a try. She found the SiteBuilder easy to use and she enjoyed the creative freedom it gave her to arrange her pages just as she wished. She included links and resources, and most importantly, forums to allow foster parents to meet online to brainstorm troubleshooting techniques and celebrate successes. Within a few short weeks, the site was ready to launch.

Success

The Foster Care Info Center began with five pages and has been expanding ever since. There's a buddy program for parents wanting a more focused partnership, and information for prospective foster parents as well. When foster care matches are made via her Web site, Sharon receives a referral fee from the agency she works with as a Mentor. Above all, the site community has become so strong that they've gone from communication to activism: they are now lobbying for changes in state legislation to enhance support for foster families. Sharon has used her site as the focal point of many public appearances and panel discussions on the topic. It has also led to some great press opportunities, all of which enhance the visibility of her cause.

"I love Homestead! I recommend it all the time! Every time I use the site in a presentation, I get a standing ovation. We're our own best spokespersons; if we don't speak to people and tell them what we need, who's going to know? This Homestead web site has made it all possible."

Sharon LaCouture, founder: http://fostercareinfocenter.homestead.com/home.html

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