About Our Chapter
Volunteer Families
- Many parents rely on relatives and friends for support. Safe Families recognizes that this is not an option for all parents.
- Volunteers aim to provide this valuable social support to parents facing difficult circumstances and isolation.
- Volunteer responsibilities vary on your personal availability and preference.
Sign up to get text alerts for our Resource Network by texting the word RESOURCE to 84576. You can opt out at any time.
Church and Community Partnerships
Safe Families is a volunteer-run and professional supported agency. This means we simply wouldn’t exist without the support provided by volunteers. We are always looking for people to join the mission of supporting.
Add Safe Families for Children as a ministry in your church! The church is a great place for Safe Families support to start because of the strong sense of community present. You can participate in a variety of ways, including:
- Encouraging congregation members to volunteer
- Recruiting volunteers in the community
- Provide ongoing support to volunteers outside of the church
Meet Our Team
Director – Bri Sears
Bri has been part of the Safe Families team since 2019 and has several years experience working in the local Child Welfare field. Having grown up in the area, she is passionate about families and building strong communities. Bri’s genuine relational approach to working with children and families has lead to many positive interactions and outcomes for clients and volunteers. Bri enjoys baking, reading, and spending quality time with her family!
Community Engagement – Ben Shaw
Ben joined the team in 2021 and the Greater Rockford Chapter hasn’t been the same since! Ben wears many hats while promoting community engagement and ultimately supporting families. Ben has chosen to work with Safe Families because he enjoys seeing his efforts benefit a cause that is bigger than himself. Ben understands how valuable extended-family support is and is happy play a part in connecting families to volunteers. He is also our resident history buff. Ben enjoys cheering on Manchester United during the soccer season and recruiting his wife and 3 children to cheer along with him!
Intake and Family Coach – Grace Kennedy
Grace is the newest addition to the Greater Rockford Chapter, having started in 2022. She graduated with her BSW (Bachelor’s in Social Work) from Minnesota State, Mankato in 2021 and came back to Rockford excited to support families in the area she grew up in. She choose to work with Safe Families because her Mom’s 8 siblings and parents where always there for her family when needed and she believes that every family deserves this kind of support. Grace enjoys spending time with her husband and their dog Cali!