When children are placed into foster care, it’s rarely under easy circumstances. Many are navigating fear, loss, and uncertainty—often without anything familiar to hold onto.
That’s where God opened a new door.
Prayer Bears for Kids in Crisis
Hoyleton Youth and Family Services has been serving vulnerable kids in our community for years—helping them find safety, support, and healing.
Through your generosity, JOY FM was able to provide Prayer Bears to Hoyleton—small, soft reminders that these kids are not alone. Some will receive them during a tough therapy session. Others at a critical moment when they are removed from their unsafe home and taken to a new, unfamiliar one. In every case, they’ll know:
You are seen. You are loved. You are not alone.
A Bear That’s Truly Theirs
When we visited Hoyleton, we learned something humbling: many of the kids there rarely receive anything new. Clothes, toys, even basic items often come as hand-me-downs from the center.
So when a child gets a Prayer Bear—a gift that’s brand new, cuddly, and personal—it’s a big deal. It’s not a leftover. It’s not borrowed.
It’s theirs.
It can represent something even bigger: a new start.
A Steady Reminder of God’s Presence
These children are being removed from everything they know—schools, beds, siblings, routines. So much feels unsteady.
That’s why each Prayer Bear includes a Scripture card with Isaiah 41:10:
“Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be terrified. I am your God. I will hold you safe in My hands."
It’s a message these kids need to hear. In a season filled with loss, this little bear quietly reminds them of something unchanging: God is here. He loves you. And He’s not going anywhere.
Your Generosity is Reaching Further
This partnership is already making a difference. Thanks to listener support, JOY FM was able to deliver hundreds of Prayer Bears to Hoyleton to distribute across their programs—from emergency foster care placements to residential treatment centers.
But the impact goes beyond the bear itself.
Each one comes with a note of encouragement, a reminder of God’s presence, and the love of a whole community standing behind them.
Keep Praying With Us
Please join us in praying for the children who receive these bears—that in their hardest moments, they would feel comforted and held by the love of Christ.
Thank you for being part of this story. You’re helping bring hope into some of the darkest and most tender places.
One bear at a time.
