BFT’s latest news and stories

The Bringing Families Together team gathered at the beautiful River Camp  at the Saint Louis Zoo  for our Annual Team Holiday Party on December 6 — a favorite tradition and a chance to relax, laugh and enjoy time with one another outside of our day-to-day work for our children and families. This year’s theme was animals , and our team truly delivered. From playful animal prints to creative costumes (including a few show-stopping onesies), the room was filled with personality,

This month, we’re celebrating someone who’s quickly made his mark at Bringing Families Together — Daqez Davis , Family Service Worker  on our Case Management Team  and our November Employee of the Month!  💜 Although Daqez joined BFT just this past June , he’s already earned the admiration of his peers — and this recognition means even more because our Employee of the Month honors are voted on by team members themselves. Daqez brings both heart and presence  to his work with

We’re excited to welcome Nick Trimble  to Bringing Families Together ! Nick joined our Case Management Team  in October 2025  as a Family Service Worker . Nick comes to BFT with experience as a Foster Care Case Manager at Epworth Children and Family Services, bringing a strong understanding of the challenges and rewards of supporting children and families in foster care. When asked what he loves most about working at BFT, Nick shared: “My favorite thing about working with chi

We’re excited to welcome Brianna Tippin  to Bringing Families Together ! Brianna joined our Resource Team  in July 2025  as a Family Development Specialist . Brianna brings enthusiasm, dedication, and a passion for supporting children and families. Her favorite part of the role? “I enjoy working with my team. Meeting all my new families has been a great and rewarding experience.” With her A.S., B.S., and currently pursuing her M.S.W. , Brianna is committed to learning, growin

We’re excited to introduce Kyle Dunn , who joined our Transitional Living Team  in June 2025  as a TLSS Specialist ! Kyle works with teens and young adults in our Transitional Living Program , helping youth prepare for independence and providing guidance so they can confidently step into adulthood when they leave foster care. His favorite part of the role? “My favorite thing about working at BFT is seeing the young adults come into our Transitional Living Program with limited

We’re excited to introduce Ashley Smith , who joined our Case Management Team  in October 2025  as a Family Service Worker ! Ashley brings a strong background in behavioral health and education, having served as a Crisis Response Clinician  with Behavioral Health Response and as a substitute teacher with both the Hazelwood School District and Confluence Academy. Her experience equips her to support children and families through challenges while helping them build stability an

We’re so happy to welcome Vickie Desire Nasirumbi  to Bringing Families Together!  She joined our Case Management Team  in June 2025  as a Family Service Worker , bringing international experience, deep compassion and a heart for advocacy to her work with children and families. Before joining BFT, Vickie Desire served as a Social Worker with Save the Children–Africa  and United Nations Women , where she supported families through crisis, education, and empowerment programs. H

We’re thrilled to introduce Kelly Selby , who joined our Parenting+Plus Program  in July 2025 as a Family Support Specialist ! Kelly brings with her a wealth of experience supporting parents and children with disabilities, trauma and mental health needs—including work with families involved in foster care. For the last eight years before joining BFT, she has dedicated her career to helping families strengthen relationships, build resilience, and find hope through education an

We’re excited to introduce another incredible addition to our Bringing Families Together family — Gillian Blount , who joined our Case Management Team in July 2025 as a Family Service Worker! Gillian brings both passion and strong professional experience to her role, holding M.S. and B.S. degrees  and several years of experience supporting children, youth and families across Arkansas. Before joining BFT, she worked as a Qualified Behavioral Health Professional and Case Manage

We’re thrilled to welcome Daqez Davis  to our Bringing Families Together family! Daqez joined our Case Management Team in June 2025 as a Family Service Worker , and he’s already making an impact with his steady presence, dedication, and commitment to the families we serve. With a B.S. degree  and four years of experience in behavioral health , Daqez brings both professional expertise and a genuine heart for helping others. His background has shaped his understanding of how co

Community Services Coordinator | Parenting+Plus Team This month, we’re proud to celebrate someone whose work has shaped Bringing Families Together for nearly two decades — Karen Johnson , our Community Services Coordinator and Internship Coordinator . Karen joined BFT in September 2007 , and for 18 years , she has been a cornerstone of our mission to strengthen families and support lasting reunification. She leads with both heart and expertise, combining her background in edu

Family Service Worker | Case Management Team At Bringing Families Together, we believe success is about more than milestones—it’s about the people who walk alongside families every step of the way. This month, we’re excited to celebrate one of those people: Zylinnea “Zee” Rogers , our September Employee of the Month ! Zee joined BFT in January 2025  as a Family Service Worker  on our Case Management Team , bringing with her a B.A.  and a passion for supporting families in mea

We’re excited to introduce one of the newer members of our Bringing Families Together family— Shelby Howard , who joined our Case Management Team in June 2025 as a Family Service Worker! Shelby came to BFT with 20 years of experience in social services , including leadership roles supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, work with children and youth in residential care, and service with the Tennessee Children’s Division. His extensive backgroun

What picture comes to mind when you hear the term “social worker”? If you are like many Americans, you pictured a woman. Much like nurses and teachers, many think of social services as a female-dominated field. These disciplines require patience, empathy, and a caring spirit to be successful. Women are indeed drawn to such jobs. For example, statistics show that about 79% of social workers are women versus about 21% of men. However, more Americans are breaking from traditiona

At Bringing Families Together, our mission is built on caring for children — not just in the big moments, but in the small, unexpected ones that matter just as much. This year, our office has been busier than ever. On most workdays, at least one young person has been here with us — sometimes staying for the day, sometimes overnight, and sometimes for much longer — while waiting for a foster home to be found. It’s not ideal for them; these kids need loving homes. And it means

Not everyone can lead with both heart and strength—but Regine Brown  does just that. Regine began her journey with Bringing Families Together  in January 2023  as a Family Service Worker . It didn’t take long for her strengths to shine. With a sharp mind, a grounded presence, and a passion for serving others, she quickly stepped into leadership—first as a Lead Family Service Worker , and currently as our Foster Care Case Management Supervisor . Through every role, Regine has

And that's a WINNER! At Bringing Families Together, we believe the heart of our work is the incredible team behind it. That’s why every...

This June, Bringing Families Together  celebrates a milestone we’re incredibly proud of— 26 years  of strengthening families, supporting...

Sometimes it’s the quiet, thoughtful touches—the ones that don’t scream for attention but leave a lasting impression—that tell you the...

At Bringing Families Together , we’re serious about supporting youth, foster families and birth families—but we also know the importance...