How you can support kids and families in crisis in your community

On this episode of the Faith & Clarity podcast, Dr. Mark Turman sits down with Adrien Lewis, founder of CarePortal. This platform connects people and resources to meet the real-time needs of children and families in crisis. Adrien shares how a single mission trip shifted his path from business to a life of serving vulnerable kids and how that moment of clarity sparked what would become CarePortal.

Since its launch in 2015, CarePortal has been addressing a hidden foster care crisis in the US, where millions of children are referred to child protection agencies each year. By leveraging technology, CarePortal enables local communities to respond quickly, connecting caseworkers, churches, individuals, and businesses to meet urgent needs in real-time. Adrien explains how the platform empowers people to share responsibility for care, turning moments of crisis into opportunities for transformational connection.

You’ll also hear about the role of the church in this mission—how helping children and families unites communities, provides common ground in a divided world, and gives believers a tangible way to follow God’s call to love their neighbors. Adrien walks through how CarePortal works, how it’s funded, and the impact it’s had on communities nationwide.

If you’ve ever wondered how faith and innovation can come together to change lives, this conversation will inspire you.

Topics

• (01:11): Introducing CarePortal and Adrien Lewis
• (03:06): Adrien's faith journey
• (07:21): The pivotal mission trip
• (12:00): Understanding foster care
• (14:53): Adrien's personal foster care experience
• (18:43): Community and foster care
• (25:36): Understanding the impact of poverty on children
• (27:38): Introducing CarePortal: A technological solution
• (28:04): How CarePortal works: Connecting needs with helpers
• (30:52): The role of the church and community in CarePortal
• (43:24): CarePortal's growth and vision for the future
• (47:05): How to get involved with CarePortal

Resources

• Ask Us Anything: info@denisonforum.org
• How has Denison Forum impacted your faith?
• Facebook: Adrien Lewis 
• CarePortal Website: CarePortal 
• CarePortal Facebook: CarePortal | Kansas City MO 
• CarePortal Instagram: CarePortal (@careportal) • Instagram photos and videos 
• CarePortal X: CarePortal (@_careportal) / X 
• CarePortal YouTube: CarePortal - YouTube 
• CarePortal app connects charities to families in need | Fox News Video
• Adoption and foster care isn’t a have to—it’s a get to - Christian Parenting
• Our ordinary family’s extraordinary foster care journey - Christian Parenting
• What Every Christian Parent Needs to Know About Foster Care
• Foster Care & Adoption: "Lies, Truths, and Horror Stories" - Christian Parenting

About Adrien Lewis

Adrien Lewis began his career as a business development professional, spending a decade working in healthcare, technology, and education. In 2007, a mission trip to Haiti with his wife, Cynthia, transformed his perspective and deepened his calling. Over the next three years, he volunteered with The Global Orphan Project, where he witnessed firsthand the power of connection in caring for vulnerable children.

In 2010, Adrien felt a clear call from God to leave the business world and fully dedicate himself to advocating for orphaned and abandoned children. This journey led him to become a foster and adoptive parent and, ultimately, to develop CarePortal—a Care-Sharing technology that mobilizes communities to take action for children and families in crisis, creating meaningful connections that change lives.

About Dr. Mark Turman

Mark Turman, DMin, serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.

Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.

Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for 35 years, including 25 years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas.

Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.