CAFO2026 Sessions

Caregiving inevitably brings moments when we feel overwhelmed, discouraged, and uncertain whether we have what it takes to continue. This coaching room offers a safe, hope-filled environment where participants can receive practical guidance, encouragement, and individualized coaching for the real-life challenges they are facing right now.

Session Leaders:

Your homepage is the front door to your organization. It’s the first impression many people will have of your mission. In order to drive the results you want to see, your homepage must: 1) accurately reflect your brand, 2) build trust and affinity with your audience, and 3) call your audience to action with clear next steps.

Learn simple, effective fixes you can implement right away to level up your homepage so you can amplify your work and inspire more people to join you.

Session Leaders:

As an intercountry adoptive dad since 1994, Dr. Mark Andrews has learned a great deal—and his children, Michael and Sara, have been his greatest teachers. This coaching table will focus on important lessons learned, the gift of 20/20 hindsight, and practices that served their family well along the way. Drawing from their lived experiences, participants will gain insight, encouragement, and practical strategies for prospective adoptive parents, parents who are facing challenges, and anyone seeking to build stronger relationships with the children in their lives. Bring your questions!

Session Leaders:

Join fellow child welfare leaders for an off-the-record discussion with Dr. Ryan Hanlon, Head of the U.S. Children’s Bureau.

Dr. Hanlon will share insights on key trends in the field and policy developments, including the Home for Every Child initiative and the First Lady’s Fostering the Future. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and share observations from frontline child welfare work across the country.

An official from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will also briefly share updates on housing vouchers to support aging-out youth.

Please note: This session is limited to CEOs and leadership staff of CAFO member organizations.

Session Leaders:

Adoption travel can feel overwhelming, especially when navigating international flights, changing timelines, baggage considerations, travel documents, airline policies, and last-minute adjustments. This coaching room is designed as an interactive conversation where adoptive families can bring their questions and receive practical guidance from an experienced adoption travel specialist. Whether you are preparing for your first adoption journey or looking for ways to make travel smoother and less stressful, this session offers personalized insights, helpful resources, and real-world solutions to help you travel with confidence.

Session Leaders:

Come join fellow ministry leaders in Africa for an inspiring and interactive gathering. Connect, share ideas, and discover new ways to collaborate in serving vulnerable children and families.

Walk away with fresh insights, meaningful relationships, and practical opportunities to strengthen your impact together.

Session Leaders:

Most non-profit leaders have experimented with AI by asking it a question or generating an image. But today’s AI tools can also write grant proposals, manage donor communications, build a 24/7 knowledge base, and much more.

This hands-on bonus session moves beyond the hype and gets practical. You’ll learn a simple framework for communicating effectively with AI and immediately apply it using today’s most powerful — and often free — tools. No technical background required.

Session Leaders:

Whether we are caring directly for those who are vulnerable, developing government policy that advocates for them, or building a non-profit foster and adoption organization, one human element you can count on being in play is anxiety. Anxiety is understood to be one of the fundamental distress signals in human beings. But what exactly is anxiety, and what is the ultimate “distress” it is signaling? Moreover, what difference does it make that in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had more to say about anxiety than almost any other topic?

What we do know is that for us to flourish—and do so distinctly—we must address our anxiety effectively in order to create beauty and goodness in the domains of life we occupy. This workshop will explore the interpersonal neurobiological mechanics of anxiety and offer practical insights and applications for anyone seeking to co-labor with God on behalf of the vulnerable people we serve.

Session Leaders:

Want to strengthen care but unsure where to start? CAFO’s Research Center introduces a simple improvement framework: clarify what’s going well, pinpoint growth areas, connect to short eCourses, and choose next steps.

You’ll see how the guided process works and leave with one practical step to begin in your setting.

Session Leaders:

Come join fellow ministry leaders in Asia for an inspiring and interactive gathering. Connect, share ideas, and discover new ways to collaborate in serving vulnerable children and families.

Walk away with fresh insights, meaningful relationships, and practical opportunities to strengthen your impact together.

Session Leaders:

The Assemblies of God Foster Care Network is an informal network of individuals, organizations, and leaders who are passionate about foster care and adoption. This meet-up provides an opportunity for like-minded leaders within our movement to connect, share resources, and cross-pollinate ideas.
 

Session Leaders:

Do you spend your time coordinating your local U.S. foster care network to ensure collaboration continues moving forward (also known as backbone support)? Join others from across the country who serve in similar roles to connect, gain encouragement, and discover ways you can be supported throughout the year.

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