For Kim Copeland, child welfare is more than a career. It is personal. It is purpose.
As we celebrate Child Welfare Workforce Month and this year’s theme, Powered by Purpose, Kim’s story reminds us that the child welfare workforce is made up of people who show up every day with compassion, commitment and a deep belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.
Growing up in Buffalo Gap, Texas, Kim saw firsthand what it meant to live in a community where resources were limited and needs were often overlooked.
“I knew I wanted to help people,” Kim said. “I wanted to help those who couldn’t help themselves due to a lack of resources or knowledge of resources.”
Though she initially pursued a career in the medical field, she quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit. Her path eventually led her to Workforce Solutions, where she discovered a passion for helping people navigate difficult seasons in life through case management and resource connection.
That experience laid the foundation for the work she does today.
In 2020, Kim joined 2INgage and found a calling she describes as life-changing.
“Working in child welfare opened my eyes to the incredible strength of children and families,” she said. “It also showed me just how important it is for children to have someone in their corner. Someone who believes in them, advocates for them and refuses to give up on them.”
Kim’s commitment to children and families is rooted not only in her professional experience but also in her personal journey. Having experienced difficult moments during her own childhood, she understands the importance of support, encouragement and hope.
“My personal journey connects very deeply with the mission of child welfare,” she said. “I have the opportunity to help children experience a safer, more supported and more fulfilled life than I was afforded, and that gives my work a deeply personal meaning.”
In 2023, that connection became even stronger when Kim and her husband adopted their son from foster care.
After struggling with infertility, the opportunity to become parents through adoption changed their lives forever. It also gave Kim a new perspective on the work she had already grown to love.
“Becoming an adoptive mom changed my perspective in a way I can’t fully put into words,” Kim shared. “I went from advocating for children and families through my work to experiencing firsthand what it means to open your heart and your home to a child from foster care.”
The experience reinforced something she had always believed: children are far more than a case file, a number or a circumstance.
“They are children who deserve to feel safe, loved, wanted and worthy,” she said. “They deserve someone who will show up for them, not just when things are easy but especially when they aren’t.”
When asked about a moment that reminds her why she does this work, Kim says there isn’t just one.
Her purpose is renewed every time she sees a parent make meaningful changes and reunify with their child, watches families leave a Back-to-School event with smiles and needed resources, witnesses the joy of an adoption or sees a community rally around children and families.
“These are the moments that keep me going,” Kim said. “They remind me that the work matters.”
What makes Kim’s story especially powerful is that her family’s journey is continuing. She and her husband hope to adopt another child and eventually foster teens.
“Teens in foster care are often overlooked, and too many reach adulthood without the permanent family and support system every child deserves,” she said. “I want to be part of changing that.”
Kim believes every child deserves compassion, advocacy, opportunity and hope, regardless of how their story begins.
Rather than viewing her efforts as going above and beyond, she sees caring deeply as simply part of the job.
“Whether it’s connecting a family to resources, advocating for their needs or simply being there to listen, I try to give each family my very best.”
Kim is also grateful to work for an organization whose values align with her own and for a team that supports children and families every day with dedication and heart.
“Child welfare is more than a job to me,” Kim said. “It is personal. It is purpose. It is my opportunity to help children have the best outcome possible, regardless of how their story began.”
During Child Welfare Workforce Month, we are proud to recognize Kim for her compassion, advocacy and unwavering commitment to children and families. Her story is a powerful example of what it means to be Powered by Purpose and to show up every day for those who need someone in their corner.
Thank you, Kim, for the difference you make in the lives of children, families and communities.
