Community service is woven into the fabric of her life. The daughter of a pastor, Christen Butler remembers a childhood filled with hosting missionaries at home and volunteering at the local hospital as a teenager. “I aspire to be known as a steward leader, someone who believes the best investment of time is encouraging and empowering others because leadership is found in the details.” She was introduced to the foster care system through a weekly bible school and an opportunity to join The CALL in 2017 brought her to a moment that Christen calls “a new season where I bring together professional experience and a deeper sense of purpose.”
“What began as a simple week of service became a life-changing revelation.” The eight siblings that Christen encountered that week at Bible school changed her perspective. “They didn’t have much, but they had each other and they had us. These children didn’t just become part of our church; they transformed it and me.” Eventually, the kids entered the foster care system. “Through them, I realized something deeper. Mission work isn’t far away; sometimes it’s about seeing what’s in front of you and choosing to show up for it.” Christen joined the organization as The CALL Director of Finance and quickly realized despite a statewide presence in 75 counties, advocacy + awareness on behalf of the more than 33,000 children currently in foster care remains a challenge. “It is a largely unseen and unspoken part of our communities.” She explains that anonymity is hallmark. “We protect the families involved and therefore are often unable to share their personal stories.” As a result, many Arkansans don’t realize the foster care crisis affects every county.
At The CALL, Christen equips and encourages the Christian community to support children in foster care. Through a partnership with Arkansas Department of Children & Family Services and churches, The CALL helps families provide provisional and adoptive homes – with an unwavering hope that no child is alone. “We work to create meaningful local impact on an exponential scale. At the heart of this work are relationships.” She explains that support is individualized and constant. “We meet families where they are and walk alongside them through unique challenges. This brings stable foster placements, educated parents and holistic support.”
After earning a degree in accounting from UA Little Rock, Christen worked in finance for more than a decade. Her pragmatic business philosophy compliments her visionary leadership at The CALL. “I am passionate about strategic planning and building effective, sustainable processes.” She is profoundly invested and recognizes the weight of this work on her team, families and social workers: emotional exhaustion, compassion fatigue, burnout. “These are not abstract ideas but are real risks for those who give so much of themselves in service to others. And yet, within that heaviness, there is also opportunity. Not always for grand solutions but for small, intentional acts of care.” For Christen – mission works is sharing a favorite Sonic drink, a remembered birthday or a new pair of shoes for the first day of school. “These gestures seem small, but they matter. We’re creating a culture of care and a sense of connection for everyone involved with The CALL. It’s with a renewed sense of strength that we continue the work.”
The Call
