The Driscoll Family Supports Safe Families QC

For Ben and Karly Driscoll and their children, gratitude leads to giving. Karly explains, “Raising kids today is so hard! I can’t imagine doing it alone as so many people in our community do. We feel so blessed to have family, friends and church community members who are ready, willing, and able to help when we need it; knowing so many others do not have this support.” From this spirit of giving, the Driscolls discovered a way to connect with families, who need help, through Safe Families for Children. This local organization gives parents, who are in crisis, the opportunity to ask for help by choosing to place their child in the home of a safe family, thereby giving themselves the time and resources to get back on their feet. Host families are recruited through local churches. They are screened and trained before they can volunteer to help children in need. The goal of Safe Families for Children is to let parents in crisis know that there is a support system available to help them before abuse or neglect occurs. They want to empower parents and let them know that they have options when it comes to the safety and well-being of their children.

Karly says, “My family loves to help Safe Families when we can. It is a great way to show biblical hospitality. We think Safe Families for Children of the Quad Cities is such a great way to serve those less fortunate than we are. We have hosted three children, and each time it has been challenging in ways and rewarding all the same. Our kids now pray for each of these children every night at dinner and more importantly, have a better understanding of what it means to show love to those who are less fortunate than we are.” Karly states, “We believe that one of our greatest responsibilities as parents is showing our kids that God’s way of serving others should also be our way. Serving these vulnerable families together with our children by sharing love, hope, and our home has been such a blessing to our family and very rewarding. It has been such a great way for us to show our kids how to be compassionate and caring for those, who are less fortunate than we are. It has led to many great discussions on being thankful for our blessings and living out our calling to love others in need. It is a way to be missional without even leaving our home!”

As an active mother of four children with many responsibilities in the community, Karly shares, “At times, we find ourselves saying we are just too busy to host, but we have found that although there never is really a convenient time, it is always a good time! My daughter Grace said it best when she overheard Ben and I talking about whether we were going to host a child. We were going over schedules and such when she asked what we were talking about. We told her we were trying to decide if we were going to host this child. Her response was simply, “Well, why not?” That was the perfect answer for us.” 

Karly encourages, “If you are wondering what exactly being host family looks like, it is simply opening your home for a short time to a child in need of a safe and loving home. It looks like making up a bed and setting another spot at your table. It looks like your kids sharing their toys and possibly a few clothing items and stuffed animals. It looks like showing the love of Christ to others. These placements typically run a few days to a week, but some can last longer as each situation is unique.”

If you are inspired to be a host family for Safe Families like the Driscolls, you can email Karly at karlyanne@yahoo.com or call Safe Families QC at (563) 949-9803, email them at quadcities@safefamilies.net or learn more at www.safefamiliesqc.org/