Parents experiencing a temporary crisis can arrange for their children to stay with Host Families volunteers while they address the issues that led to the instability in their lives. Provides a safe alternative to child welfare custody. Crises include short-term emergencies, such as hospitalization, or a longer-term crisis, such as drug abuse or homelessness. Volunteer families are extensively screened and supported, and biological parents maintain full custody while their children are in the program. The ultimate goal is to support and strengthen biological families so they can become successful caregivers for their own children. Host Families volunteers are supervised by their area church, which in turn is supported by professional child care specialists. Children are matched with families in their own community whenever possible, and placements average from one day to three months.