Save the Date:
Christmas in July drive-thru event!
Saturday, july 18th, 2026
The city cooperative - new city church | 931 INDUSTRIAL DRIVE, Matthews, NC 28105
More details and registration coming soon!
In 2025, more than 220 guests gathered for our third-annual Christmas in July to support kids in foster care. Together, we surpassed our goal of 3,000 gifts, with support from 15 churches and community partners - a powerful win for the kids, social workers, and families CFK serves. Check out a video recap below!
We are so thankful for our community and church partners who hosted toy drives and partnered with christmas in july 2025!
Are you a business, church, or other organization interested in hosting a larger gift drive to support ‘Christmas in July’?
EMAIL: PARTNER@CFKNC.ORG and our team will get you set up with everything you need to advertise and run your drive.
Learn more about
Merry Market serves as a resource for front-line social workers and gives them an opportunity to hand-select holiday gifts for the children and youth on their caseload. It is our hope that the gifts selected for each child will give the social worker another opportunity for connection as they navigate building trust and rapport in very difficult situations while bringing joy and dignity to each child in foster care during the holidays.
Items collected during Christmas in July will support Merry Market in December and directly impact kids in foster care.
“[Merry Market] was absolutely the best experience that I have been able to take a part in. I was able to shop for my kids that were in need.”
PARENT RESOURCES
Christmas in July is designed to engage the whole family in serving vulnerable children and we know that engaging with CFK can bring up some tough questions for your kids. We wanted to help give you some common language that you can use as you navigate how to discuss foster care with your family. The questions below are posed from “the child’s” perspective.
-
All kids deserve to be safe and cared for. Sometimes parents aren't able to do these things and so other families called foster families open up their homes for the child to stay until their parents get the help they need.
-
Foster care is temporary, while adoption is forever.
-
The goal is always to get kids back with their families as soon as it's safe, healthy, and possible. Sometimes that takes a few months and other times it can take up to two years. The average for a child staying in care in our area ia about 1.5 - 2 years.
-
Most of the time, when parents need support there are other family members - grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and trusted neighbors that can offer help. Foster care is only necessary when there is no other support to be found in the child's community.
-
Pray for them.
Meet tangible needs through CAREnow.
Serve as a volunteer.
Your family can be encouragers for social workers through our Socialight program.
Looking for more resources?
Click below to view three incredible devotionals about foster care through a Biblical lens. Walk through these studies with your Community and family.
From the Father's Heart to the Church’s Hands: What the Bible says about caring for the vulnerable
This 9-session study was designed to trace a theme through the entirety of God's Word and is meant to be completed in community with fellow believers.
Foster Care Family Guide (Older Elementary)
This 5-day family devotional guides you through teaching your older elementary children about foster care and how to pray for children and families impacted by foster care in our community.
Foster Care Family Guide (Preschool - 2nd Grade)
This 5-day family devotional guides you through teaching your younger children about foster care and how to pray for children and families impacted by foster care in our community.
Materials adapted from The Call in Arkansas