Why We’re Forming The Olive Branch Collective: A Personal Journey

As I reflect on the journey that led us to foster and adopt, I am filled with a deep sense of purpose and gratitude. In 2014, my family and I felt a calling that we could not ignore. After having three biological children, we knew in our hearts that our family wasn’t complete. We attended a class at our church, and it was there that our path to fostering and eventually adopting became clear. But as we stepped onto this path, we quickly realized that the road was far from easy.

Every challenge we faced, every obstacle that seemed insurmountable, taught us something invaluable. We learned that when God calls you to something, He doesn’t promise it will be easy—but He does promise to equip and guide you. Our journey wasn’t just about expanding our family; it was about transformation—of our hearts, our minds, and our understanding of what it truly means to love and support a child.

Yet, through all the trials and triumphs, one thing became abundantly clear: there was a significant need for more support, resources, and understanding for families like ours. We often felt alone in our struggles, searching for guidance and community that was hard to find. And that’s when the idea for The Olive Branch Collective was born.

We are forming this nonprofit because we believe that no adoptive family should have to walk this journey alone. Our mission is to provide the resources, support, and advocacy that we wished we had more of during our own journey. We want to create a community where adoptive families feel heard, supported, and empowered—because we know firsthand how transformative that support can be.

The Olive Branch Collective is not just an organization; it’s a movement of compassion and collective care. It’s about coming together to uplift and empower one another, to share in the joys and challenges, and to build a future where every adoptive family thrives. This is why we are doing this—because we believe in the power of community, in the strength of families, and in the beauty of adoption.