From a Mission Trip to a National Movement: How Adrien Lewis Is Reconnecting Communities Through Care

What if the solution to America's foster care crisis isn't just more funding or more government programs—but helping neighbors rediscover one another?

That question sits at the heart of Kevin Gentry's conversation with Adrien Lewis, founder and CEO of CarePortal. What began as a deeply personal calling for Adrien and his wife, Cynthia, has grown into a nationwide movement that uses technology to connect children and families in crisis with people who are ready to help.

Today, CarePortal partners with more than 6,000 churches, 1,500 child welfare and community agencies, and countless individuals to serve hundreds of thousands of people each year. Yet Adrien's story is a reminder that movements rarely begin with grand plans. They often begin with one life-changing moment.

A Trip to Haiti That Changed Everything

For Adrien, that moment came during his first mission trip to Haiti in 2007.

Confronted by extreme poverty, he expected to witness hardship. What surprised him was the extraordinary resilience and joy of the people he met. Standing in a field during that trip, Adrien experienced what he describes as a defining "before and after" moment. He and Cynthia left Haiti with a conviction that their lives needed to be about something bigger than themselves.

Soon afterward, Cynthia prayed a bold prayer—that they would be entrusted with a "God-sized ministry" serving vulnerable children.

Neither of them knew where that prayer would lead.

Trading Comfort for Conviction

At the time, Adrien was leading a successful business and enjoying a comfortable life. Walking away from that career made little sense on paper.

But purpose has a way of changing priorities.

After years of volunteering and supporting the Global Orphan Project, Adrien accepted an invitation to join the organization full-time. Later, as he and Cynthia became foster parents themselves, they discovered firsthand the enormous challenges facing children and families in their own community.

They realized that many families entering the foster care system weren't lacking love. They were lacking support.

Sometimes a family simply needed beds for their children. Sometimes they needed help after a house fire. Sometimes they needed transportation, clothing, or temporary financial assistance to keep children safely at home.

Those seemingly small needs often became life-changing turning points.

Building the "Uber" for Compassion

As Adrien learned more about the child welfare system, an idea emerged: What if technology could instantly connect verified needs with people nearby who were ready to help?

Much like ride-sharing apps connect drivers and passengers, CarePortal connects vetted requests from caseworkers with churches, businesses, and individuals in the surrounding community.

Every request represents one real family.

When a child welfare worker identifies a specific need, it is submitted through the CarePortal platform. Within moments, nearby people can respond by providing financial assistance, purchasing needed items, or personally delivering help.

But Adrien emphasizes that the true goal isn't simply meeting material needs.

It's creating relationships.

The hope is that what begins with delivering a crib, a bed, or school supplies becomes an ongoing friendship that transforms both the family receiving help and the neighbor offering it.

The Power of One Relationship

One story illustrates that vision perfectly.

A seventeen-year-old named Makeisha was preparing to age out of foster care while pregnant with her first child. She had no family support and almost no resources. Her caseworker submitted a simple request through CarePortal for a crib.

A local family responded.

They didn't just deliver the crib.

They stayed.

They helped assemble it, threw Makeisha a baby shower, supported her through driver's education, and became lifelong friends. Years later, Makeisha is raising her daughter, serving others through ministry, and continues to rely on that relationship.

The story began with a single request for one piece of furniture.

It became the beginning of a new family.

As Adrien explains throughout the conversation, this is the true mission of CarePortal: creating opportunities for neighbors to see, know, and care for one another again.

Scaling Trust, Not Just Technology

Growing CarePortal into a national movement has not been easy.

Adrien speaks candidly about failed ideas, technology challenges, funding struggles, organizational growing pains, and resistance from others working in the same space.

Building something entirely new meant making countless mistakes along the way.

His advice for entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders is refreshingly honest.

Humility and courage must travel together.

Innovation requires accepting that mistakes are inevitable, learning quickly, and continuing forward despite opposition. The presence of obstacles does not necessarily mean you're on the wrong path. Sometimes it means you're building something worth pursuing.

That same philosophy has shaped CarePortal's approach to partnerships.

By bringing together government agencies, nonprofits, churches, businesses, and individual volunteers around a shared concern for vulnerable children, CarePortal has built a nationwide network grounded in one essential ingredient: trust.

Going Big Begins with One Step

As the conversation draws to a close, Kevin asks Adrien what advice he would offer anyone searching for greater meaning and purpose.

His answer is remarkably simple.

"It's okay to be scared. But do it anyway."

Looking back, Adrien doesn't measure success by the size of CarePortal or the number of communities it serves.

He measures it by faithfulness to the conviction that first emerged years ago on a mission trip to Haiti.

Today, CarePortal is aiming to serve one million people annually through neighbors caring for neighbors. Yet Adrien reminds listeners that every movement begins the same way—with one person deciding to respond to one need.

If you've ever wondered whether one act of compassion can truly change a life, this episode offers a compelling answer.

Sometimes all it takes is a crib, a conversation, or simply showing up.

And sometimes, that's how going big begins.