Steadfast Foster and Adoptive Support: Building Trust, One Family at a Time
The Poway Community Foundation is proud to have supported Steadfast Foster and Adoptive Support with a $5,000 grant to expand trauma-informed care for foster, kinship, and adoptive families through two core initiatives: the Family Horse Program and the Men's Support Group. Together, these programs reduced isolation, strengthened family relationships, and gave caregivers practical support and genuine connection.
Family Horse Program
The Family Horse Program was an overwhelming success, filling every available spot the first day registration opened and generating a waitlist. Over several weeks, families took part in a trauma-informed experience designed to promote nervous system regulation, attachment, and connection.
Caregivers consistently reported that their children grew calmer the moment they arrived at the ranch. Staff observed reduced stress and stronger emotional regulation in both children and adults, and Steadfast's Family Support Partners built lasting relationships with participants, continuing to provide individualized guidance well after each session ended.
Men's Support Group
Meeting monthly, the Men's Support Group became one of the only dedicated spaces in the region for foster, kinship, and adoptive fathers to openly discuss the unique challenges of parenting children affected by trauma. Participants reported feeling less isolated, more understood, and better equipped to support their families, and the group continues to serve as a vital source of encouragement and peer connection.
A Family's Story
One family entered the horse program in a state of significant crisis, with children experiencing intense trauma-related behaviors and caregivers struggling to find support. Week by week, staff watched both children and parents begin to calm, regulate, and settle into the program. Caregivers noticed a visible shift in their children, and the program gave them, too, space to breathe, connect, and feel supported.
As trust grew, the family began receiving additional guidance from Steadfast's Parent Support Partners. A meaningful friendship also formed with another participating family, and the two have stayed connected, continuing to support one another well beyond the program itself.
This story reflects what so many families find at Steadfast: a safe, trauma-informed environment where behaviors are understood, caregivers are supported rather than judged, and lasting connections take root.
Overall Impact
By reducing caregiver stress, improving emotional regulation, and fostering healthy attachment, Steadfast's programs strengthened resilience and belonging across dozens of families. The grant did more than fund two successful programs, it built pathways for ongoing support, ensuring families continue receiving guidance long after formal sessions conclude.