About

Our Vision

The Nest Foundation seeks to be a safe place to land for the child welfare community in faithful response to God’s commandment to love our neighbors.

Our Mission

 The Nest Foundation exists to equip and encourage Jefferson County’s Child Welfare Division, biological families seeking reunification, foster care children, foster families, and other groups within the broader child welfare system in Alabama. 

Who We Serve

  • DHR and Its Employees

    We want to encourage and equip Jefferson County DHR and its employees as they serve foster children and families throughout Birmingham and surrounding neighborhoods by providing monetary and in-kind support of needs for those they serve. We also hope to walk alongside DHR as a community liaison and advocate, connecting Birmingham residents with ways they can get involved and minister to these individuals.

    We believe that DHR and its employees hold incredibly important positions in our community, often with little recognition or support. We want to support them as they support foster children, families, biological families seeking reunification, and families in need of support.

  • Foster Children & Families, Preservation Cases, and Biological Families Seeking Reunification

    We seek to serve foster children and families, preservation cases (preventing children from entering the foster care system), and biological families seeking reunification through intentional support and programming.

    Whether a family needs a new bed to welcome a placement or a child needs additional clothing support, we want to fill needs with care and dignity. We also desire to build relationships and trust, extending care beyond the transactional and into community-centered action.

  • Child Welfare System

    As The Nest Foundation grows, we hope to leverage relationships and advocate for foster care reform with key community and state leaders both in Jefferson County and at the state level.

    We desire to deeply understand and engage with the system so that we can support it and advocate for the best resources possible for those in need in our city, county, and state.

    We created this organization to equip our donors and supporters with knowledge about the foster care system and ways to effectively engage with those within it.

Organization Founders

  • Garrett and Katherine Wates

    CO-FOUNDERS, BOARD MEMBER, VOLUNTEER

  • Cricket Miller

    BOARD MEMBER + CO-FOUNDER

  • Erin Slay-Wilson

    BOARD MEMBER + CO-FOUNDER

Our People

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Our People *

  • Garrett is a current foster care parent and dedicated community advocate. He is an engineer in Birmingham. Garrett leads The Nest’s operations efforts.

  • Erin is a communications manager and works closely to support friends like the Wates and other families who foster in Jefferson County. Erin leads The Nest’s communications efforts.

  • Cricket is a school counselor and mom in Birmingham. Cricket is close friends with the Wates and works to support kids and families in her daily work at Grantswood Community School.

  • Katherine is a current foster care parent and dedicated community advocate. Katherine is a teacher and leads The Nest Foundation’s communication with DHR employees.