In honor of National Foster Care Month, we wanted to highlight some of the organizations that are providing help for kids and families throughout our state. Whether you’re interested in pouring into kids in person, donating, or simply praying for the 4,000 Mississippi children who are in the system, there is a way for you to get involved!

Baptist Children’s Village: Houseparent missionaries

Baptist Children’s Village and Family Ministries’ continuum of care includes three residential and three non-residential programs. The In-Home Family Support Program, Youth Detention Intervention Program, and Family Resource and Referral Program are all non-residential programs that may be new to some people. The Residential Family Program is also relatively new, but the Independent Living Program and the Residential Child Caring Program have been the focus of the ministry for quite some time.

Houseparent missionaries have been a crucial part of the ministry since it began in 1897. The role has sometimes been misunderstood. Executive director Sean Milner recently was quoted as explaining, “The houseparent role extends beyond simply providing meals, clothing, or homework help. Each placement follows a deliberate plan — whether working toward reunification with family, supporting a child until adoption, or guiding them through college or job training. They’re not here to raise children; they’re here to walk with them to the next step God has for them.”

To continue reaching more at-risk children and families, we need people called to a mission field, who want to serve children and families. Houseparent missionaries are at the heart of our mission to provide them with hope and a strong foundation.

Canopy Children’s Solutions

Every child deserves a safe, supportive place to grow and heal. Canopy Children’s Solutions’ Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) equips families to provide structured, nurturing homes for children who need additional emotional and behavioral support. With specialized training and ongoing guidance, licensed TFC families walk alongside children as they build trust, develop coping skills, and move toward a stable future. Every day, families across Mississippi are stepping into this role and creating spaces where children feel safe, supported, and valued. If you feel called to support a child’s journey toward hope and healing, learn more today at mycanopy.org.

Natchez Children’s Services

For more than two centuries, Natchez Children’s Services has lived out a simple but profound calling: caring for vulnerable children. Founded in 1816 by Christians committed to serving “the least of these,” it stands as Mississippi’s oldest continuously operating children’s charity, predating statehood itself.

What began as an orphan-care ministry has grown into a vital, trauma-informed Children’s Advocacy Center serving five counties in southwest Mississippi. Today the organization provides family advocacy, and coordinated support for children facing abuse, neglect, or violence. In 2025 alone, Natchez Children’s Services served 451 children in crisis.

“For 210 years, this organization has adapted to meet the needs of children in our community,” said executive director Catherine McPhate. “While our methods have changed, our mission has remained the same: to protect children and help them find hope and healing.”

Sustained by generations of faithful supporters, including churches and community leaders, the ministry continues to reflect enduring Christian compassion in action.

Palmer Home for Children: Becoming a houseparent

Houseparents play a vital role in the lives of children at Palmer Home. They provide safety, stability, and daily care, creating a home where children feel loved, supported, and secure. Through their example, Palmer Home’s houseparents help children learn how to build healthy relationships, experience trust, and thrive in a family environment. It is a unique calling — one that requires compassion, commitment, and a deep sense of purpose.

Couples interested in becoming houseparents are dedicated to Christ and to serving vulnerable children. The process begins with an initial interview, followed by a team evaluation to assess alignment with Palmer Home’s mission. This intentional process helps ensure a strong, long-term fit for both the family and our ministry.

Training is a key part of preparing houseparents for success. Palmer Home’s Whole Child Initiative provides trauma-informed education that equips houseparents to better understand and care for children who have experienced hardship. Training includes shadowing experienced houseparents, building relationships with children, and participating in ongoing monthly development. Because every child’s story is different, this continued learning is essential to supporting their healing and growth.

The journey to becoming a houseparent takes time, as Palmer Home carefully seeks couples who are called to this work and committed for the long term. Those who serve come from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences, but they share a common desire: to see children grow mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Palmer Home’s houseparents become the children’s biggest advocates — walking with them through successes and challenges alike. Each day, they demonstrate the love of Christ through patience, kindness, and unwavering support.

For those who feel called, becoming a houseparent is more than a role — it’s an opportunity to change lives and be part of a child’s healing story.

Sunnybrook

Across Mississippi, thousands of children are still waiting for something many take for granted — a safe, stable place to call home. At Sunnybrook, 2026 marks a defining moment to meet that need with greater purpose and impact.

Through its recent partnership with the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, Sunnybrook now serves as a licensed foster care agency equipping and supporting foster families in new and meaningful ways.

But this work goes beyond placement. Sunnybrook is building a Foster Family Community designed to surround families with mentorship, resources, and shared support. Why? Because when foster parents are strengthened for success, children are nurtured and thrive.

At the same time, programs like Driver’s Education are removing barriers to independence, giving youth the tools to drive confidently into adulthood.

This Foster Care Awareness Month, Sunnybrook invites you to be part of the solution because every child deserves not just care, but a future filled with hope.

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