The Gathering Well empowers foster & adoptive families to create homes that heal

Faith-rooted. Trauma-informed. Built around connection.

Support can’t stop once a child is placed in a home.

For every 10 licensed foster families in SD, 4 of them will stop within their very first year. Not because they stopped caring, but because they lacked what they needed to keep going.

SD DSS child protection services annual data 2025.

Two women in conversation, one listening intently

80%

of teens that have experienced foster care or adoption struggle with mental health, vs. 20% nationally.

1 in 3

new foster and adoptive parents feel ready to parent a teenager (Salazar, 2024)

No one should walk this alone.

The Gathering Well brings TBRI®-based education and connection to the whole family.

Education

Whole-family programs rooted in TBRI®, built to foster connection and build resilience.

Connection

Opportunities to build connection at home and with other families walking the same journey, so no one has to feel alone.

Community Impact

Bringing TBRI® principles and trauma-informed care into the wider community.

Community. Education. Hope.

Where hope gathers, healing begins.
Supported families build stronger, more connected homes.

There is a place for you here.

Find support for your family.

Whether you are looking for help understanding your child’s behavior, support for your child or teen, practical parenting tools, or simply a community that understands, we can help you find a place to start.

Help families keep going.

There are many ways to help, from giving and volunteering to partnering with The Gathering Well through your church, business, or organization.

Testimonials & Impact.

3167

People
served

1810

Volunteer hours

39

Community partners

From the Families We Serve.

Beth Broadbooks and her family

“Attending programs at The Gathering Well was like a breath of fresh air being in the same room with people who just get it. What a family or parents experience in foster care is so hard to explain unless you live it. Our foster daughter loved going as well and really bonded with her buddy. I learned so many tools in this class that I am going to implement with our other children as well.”

Beth Broadbooks
Foster and adoptive mom

The Ellerbroek family

“The information, resources and community we’ve found at The Gathering Well have been transformative for our family. Previously, we were struggling with how to deal with our daughters’ behaviors stemming from adoption trauma. At The Gathering Well, we found we weren’t alone in our struggle, and we learned practical ways to help our daughters while deepening our relationships with them.”

Laura Ellerbroek
Foster and adoptive mom

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