Rebuilding the Helfenbein Family

Our family is in need of help. We are a foster family in Kansas that have provided foster care for over 5 years and have cared for 20+ kids that the State of Kansas has placed in our home through the years. We’ve done this because God has placed fostering on our hearts as a way to practically show the Love of Christ to children in need. We have had the immense privilege of adopting two of our foster kids through our fostering in Indiana and Kansas. 

We were looking forward to adopting another two of our foster kids in December when our family has suddenly been ripped apart. Imagine being forced to say goodbye to two children you’ve loved, provided for, built attachment to, and were planning to adopt after having them in your home for over 2 years!??

We were planning to move our family to Indiana at the end of December for a job change; however, there were false allegations made against us at the beginning of October. 

Our foster care agency has said they do not understand or agree with the decisions being made, as we have never had any accusations or even a hint of things not being right in our home. 

Our family has retained a lawyer, but good attorneys cost money ($225/hr. in our case), and we are in need of financial assistant as we fund our defense to fight to get our kids back. I know this is the worst time of the year to ask for financial help; however, we are needing to make sure the funds are there to give us the strongest defense possible.

We are seeking people who will partner with us financially, but we are also seeking people who join us as ‘prayer warriors”.  The finances will be used to cover legal and travel costs. Any excess will be donated to organizations helping foster parents to adopt. Jennifer and I have had our hearts ripped out, and this is by far the most difficult experience we’ve ever had to endure.

Below, I’ve shared the post I put on Facebook the night we had to turn over our kids. Please read it, and join us by partnering with us in the attempt to get our kids back. Scripture says in Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord...He turns it wherever He wishes.” We know God can make all things possible, and turn hearts toward a positive outcome.

Getting our kids back is THE most important things to us, and your help would mean the world to me, and to our two kids who are not with us at this time. Please join us as we fight for our kids!

More than just reading our story, please “share” our story to your Facebook page, so that others can see it too.


My original Facebook post:

"*** Urgent Prayer Needed ***

Today is one of the worst days of my life...as some of you know we are a foster family. We have adopted two former foster kiddos, and are nearing the final stages of adopting another two.

The two we were hoping to adopt have been with us for 2 years and 2 months, and for the 2yo girls, we are the only parents she has ever known.

In October, we had false allegations made against us of neglect and abuse…We have NEVER done either. However, DCF is obligated to investigate. So they did...on Oct. 2nd.

They said it would take up to 30 days to complete the investigation, and after 60+ days, I began calling to find out what was taking so long. I made the mistake of the asking how to file a grievance against DCF due to how this process was being handled. 

Today, 71 days after the interview, we got a call from our Foster Agency, KVC. They informed us that DCF had asked them to put in a 30-day change-of-placement (not a good thing). KVC wanted to know what we knew about the investigation (DCF doesn't communicate with KVC regarding these things).

We drove to KVC to share with them that we basically knew nothing. They said they were meeting with DCF next Wednesday to try to fight for us to keep the kids. We left, and an hour later we got a call saying that DCF had changed their mind about the 30-day thing, that we were to bring the kids to KVC to have them replaced immediately! Immediately...no notice...no time to prepare ourselves, our own kids, or these two precious kids that we have poured into over the past two years, that were about to become part of our forever family...why such the rush? Why did they need to be moved immediately, but the investigation took 71 days? Why were they going to initially give us 30 days, and now no time at all to prepare the hearts of all involved? How is this, "In the best interest of the kids?"

Within the span of three hours, we went from a happy family of 7 to a heartbroken family of 5. Our two kiddos who we've parented for over two years are now not allowed to live with us, all because of FALSE allegations. 

After consulting with some legal people, we learned that we will not even know the full extent of the allegations until we appeal DCF's decision, once we receive it in the mail. Once received, we can appeal it to the KS Administrative Law Department. 

We were told there is no way to know how long it will take to receive the official letter from DCF, no way to know how long the appeal will take, and not a good chance of having it overturned...not to mentioned that we have NO funds to put a lawyer on retainer, much less afford to go to trial or whatever the step are with KS Administrative Review…

I cannot even begin to express the amount of pain, heartache, hurt, and anger that Jennifer Helfenbein and I are feeling. We feel so hopeless, and are afraid that earlier today we said goodbye to two members of our family...possibly forever. 

Please, please, please pray for our family…”

Again, please take time to share this to your Facebook page so others can see our story, pray for our family, and consider if they could help financially.