Children's Homes
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
— 1 John 3:18
Coordinator: Jeremy Ketchersid
Webb Chapel has a long history supporting children and children's homes. Don Frazier started a program in 1970 which lasted for several years for Webb Chapel couples to act as foster parents for the Dallas Christian Services. By the end of 1975, five homes, including Boles Home & The Children's Home of Lubbock, were supported in various ways by the congregation. Representatives for the Children's Home of Lubbock still stop by the office several times a year to thank Webb Chapel for their support. From groceries to clothes to whatever is needed, Webb Chapel has risen to the challenge over the years to support Christ-centered homes for children.
Several years ago, a former member returned to visit Webb Chapel and saw something about Boles Home. He remarked on how much it had meant to him when he attended here that Webb Chapel supported homes such as Boles Home because he lived there as a child. Most never knew his connection to Boles Home. We may not always know how our actions affect others, but we do know that all support — financial, physical, or otherwise — will always be appreciated and remembered in adulthood by those who find themselves living in homes such as these.
Currently, our church supports four children’s homes in different areas of the state. Some information on each home is below, and if you would like to learn more or find a way to help one of these homes, please contact Jeremy or click on the icons below to visit each home's website.
Arms of Hope
Boles Children’s Home & Medina Children’s Home
"Boles Children's Home (est. 1924) and Medina Children's Home (est. 1958) were originally established as Christian homes for orphans, but have grown with innovative programs designed to serve at-risk children and single- mother families. Because they had identical missions and programs, both organizations consolidated to form Arms of Hope to achieve efficiency, geographic diversity, increased capacity and additional program improvements and offerings.
Arms of Hope is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Christian care organization that assists children and single-mother families in need. Arms of Hope's facilities include Medina Children's Home (60 miles northwest of San Antonio) and Boles Children's Home (40 miles northeast of Dallas). The facilities have over 135 years combined experience in comprehensive residential care programs for children. Arms of Hope also reaches disadvantaged children in their own neighborhoods in various communities with its Outreach Ministry programs."
— Arms of Hope website
Christ's Haven for Children
"In 1954 Homer and Lillian Steadman purchased a large home at 1632 East Vickery Boulevard in Fort Worth, Texas to provide a home for disadvantaged children. Within a very short time, the Steadmans had ten children in their care.
Realizing that the need was greater than the space they had available, the Steadman’s began looking for a larger place to build cottages and provide a traditional home life for more children. In 1956 the Steadman’s, along with many other interested families, purchased a farm in Keller to house Christ's Haven for Children.
Today Christ's Haven for Children has seven cottages, a Community Enrichment Center, a transition house, a gymnasium, chapel, and ranch program. The home cares for 40 children on the campus as well as children in foster care off the campus in homes in the Metroplex. The children receive medical and dental care, counseling, and tutoring as needed in a warm and loving home under the care and guidance of full-time house parents.
Through the years at least 5000 children have been served by this program. Those who move on, usually become responsible citizens in society, giving testimony that Christ's Haven for Children made a tremendous difference in their lives."
— Christ's Haven for Children ~ History
the Children's Home of Lubbock
"The Children's Home is a community of volunteers, workers and supporters, pouring their efforts together to make life better for children who need to see that caring and love do exist in a world that has often been unfair and unjust.
Since the Home opened its doors in 1954, over 5,500 children have been helped through the Home's services. Praised by licensure reviews as one of the best programs in the State of Texas, the Children's Home places a strong emphasis on family rehabilitation, with programs of care designed for children and their families. On any given day an average of 145 boys and girls are in care in the various programs of The Children's Home of Lubbock. The Children's Home is licensed and reimbursed for services rendered by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and meets or exceeds all standards established for out-of-home care of children.
Children are served without regard to their race, religion, or national origin. The Children's Home has a debt-free modern group care campus, designed to serve 90 children on any given day. Forty-five to sixty more children are served in other programs at the Home. All child care staff receive more than 50 hours of training each year. Spiritual training is a vital part of each child's life at the Home. Each cottage worships at a different congregation in the Lubbock community. Staff and children become active participants in the congregation where they worship.
Spiritual training policies are set by the Board of Directors and implemented by our staff without regulation by the State. Last year the Home served 244 public sector boys and girls who would not otherwise receive the blessing of knowing about the God who loves them."
— Children's Home of Lubbock ~ About Us
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