Margie Nielsen
Margie Nielsen is Louisiana’s Foster Care Ambassador for the Louisiana Foster Care Support Organization, a service of The Methodist Children’s Home. Margie is excited to work alongside existing organizations to help them reach their full potential and provide assistance to those starting new services to support foster families in Louisiana.
About Margie
Upon graduating from Northeast Louisiana University in 1997 with a Bachelor’s degree and dual teaching certifications in Regular Education and Special Education, it was evident that Margie would pursue opportunities to follow her passion for ministering to children. She taught in public schools for 14 years, serving in various leadership and mentoring roles. After leaving the classroom, Margie went on to work at the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana as the Director of Early Childhood Lead Agency, teaching and leading other teachers in the new standards in early childhood, and also providing parent education at the Family Resource Center, opening the door to foster care ministry.
Serving as a Youth Minister for over 20 years, Margie has walked alongside many families struggling, which led to her fostering a teen, along with her husband and two biological children. Through these and many more experiences, she has developed a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by foster families and the resources that need to be made available. Prior to becoming an Ambassador, she worked at the Baptist Children’s Home as the State Director for Foster Care and Adoption Ministries and has been heavily involved in supporting foster families and building communities of support all across the state.
Since 2017, Margie is also the Founding Director of Royal Family Kids Camp of Northeast Louisiana, an all-volunteer organization that ministers to children in foster care ages 6-11 through a TBRI-based curriculum in a week-long overnight camp with more than 70 volunteers. This ministry has been a culmination of her life’s work from teaching to ministry to sharing the love of Christ. Through this ministry she has been able to train many families in caring for children from “hard places” and has helped facilitate many lasting connections for children in foster care.
Margie also serves as the QPI Community Leader and has also worked as a parent-educator for court-mandated classes for biological parents. Her own parents were also foster parents, making her the “bio-kid” for a time during her formidable years, giving her the foundation to build a well-rounded view of the foster care world and the passion to help make it better for all involved. In her own words, “Because of the work of so many organizations who are now joining forces, there has never been a more exciting time to be involved in foster care!”