by Rich Stratton, Assistant Director of Public Relations
Cedarville alumni respond to the needs of teens in foster careFifteen years ago, Eric ’03 and Kara (Howe) ’04 Gilmore began noticing a pattern that would not let them rest. Teenagers in Arkansas entered foster care or aged out with little consistent support. In fact, many reached legal adulthood without housing, reliable work, or someone to call family.
Their Cedarville University years had planted a conviction in them to care for the vulnerable and pursue those who are forgotten. That conviction took on a new urgency as Eric and Kara opened their home to teens as foster parents and watched how quickly hope could fray without steady relationships. Those up-close experiences led them to launch Immerse Arkansas in Little Rock.
How Immerse Arkansas supports foster teens and young adultsImmerse Arkansas opened as a small, hospitable space and grew into a community that mixes practical help with consistent presence. A teen’s first visit often looks practical and tender: a hot meal, a warm shower, clothes, if needed, an offer of prayer and someone who will listen. These small acts of kindness create room for trust.
Weekly gatherings and practical support helps teens move toward housing, work and stabilityA weekly Tuesday gathering anchors that trust. Around a shared meal, mentors, volunteers and participants trade stories, celebrate milestones and sometimes sit in silence. The rhythm of the gathering — familiar faces, ordinary conversation and steady hospitality — provides many young people with the only place where they feel seen.
Staff and volunteers continue to walk alongside young people in a hands-on way — listening, encouraging and celebrating small wins while helping with interviews, applications and connections to housing or transportation. Some teens stop by once; others stay for months and even join an alumni circle that still calls Immerse home. On average, participants engage for about a year, a season the team uses to open doors and plan next steps.
Immerse Arkansas measures success by lasting change in young livesThe Gilmores measure success in human terms: a steady paycheck, a key to an apartment or a returned smile. They also carry a clear aim — if a teen must enter foster care, Arkansas should be the best place in the nation to be there. Churches, state partners and local organizations have embraced that vision and are working with Immerse to strengthen the safety net.
Eric and Kara recently shared the story of Immerse on the Cedarville Stories podcast, reflecting on how their campus seasons shaped their calling and how, 15 years on, Immerse keeps offering practical support, steady relationships and a place many young people can call home.
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.
