Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition Named a Top Workplace 2026
When we talk about changing outcomes for children in foster care and adoptive families, we often focus on the services provided, families supported, and children whose lives are transformed. But there’s a truth that doesn’t always make the headlines: the quality of care a family receives is only as strong as the team delivering it.
That’s why we are deeply honored to announce that the Coalition has been recognized as a Top Workplace 2026 by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It’s an award we didn’t apply for but rather one that was earned solely based on what our own team members said, anonymously, about what it’s like to work here.
Let that sink in. The people doing this work every single day, navigating complex cases, showing up for families in crisis, and pouring themselves into some of the hardest and most meaningful work imaginable, chose to tell the world that this is a good place to be.
If you’re a foster or adoptive parent, a caregiver, or a community partner, you might be wondering: what does a workplace award have to do with me?
When our team members feel valued, supported, and connected to a shared mission, that energy doesn’t stay inside our walls. It shows up in how they respond daily to individual needs, histories, and obstacles with intention, dignity, and urgency. In the promptly answered question, the caseworker who remembers what matters to your family, and the consistency of support that doesn’t keep starting over.
Staff burnout is one of the leading drivers of disruption in the child welfare system. When workers are stretched thin or disconnected from purpose, the ripple effects reach every family we work with. We believe the antidote is intentional culture that stands up for each other and what’s right for our clients and stakeholders, and this recognition tells us we’re on the right path.
This award belongs to our staff. The people who answered honestly about whether they feel heard and whether they see a future here, they built this. Through courageous conversations and grace-filled ones, through a shared commitment to the belief that every child deserves a place to call home. We’re proud of them and committed to earning their trust every day.
To our team: thank you for choosing this work, and for choosing to do it here.
To the families, donors, and community partners who trust us: when you support the Coalition, you’re supporting a team that shows up for each other, and for the children and families at the heart of everything we do.
Excellence in foster care and adoption services starts from within. We’re honored, and motivated, to keep proving that every single day.