Every child deserves to feel safe. To feel wanted. To know, deep in their bones, that they matter. At Sunny Glen Children’s Home, we’ve witnessed what happens when a child who’s known nothing but chaos finally lands in a place where love isn’t conditional. Christian foster care isn’t just a service or a program. It’s a calling.
Since 1936, we have served abused, neglected, and forgotten children, beginning in San Juan before relocating to San Benito in 1950. Over the years, we have witnessed how faith, consistency, and genuine compassion can transform a young life. When a child comes to understand that God is love and that they were created with purpose, something begins to change within them. Hope takes root, and from that hope, healing begins to grow. We want to share why this work matters so deeply and how you can be part of it.
What Makes Christian Foster Care Unique
There are plenty of organizations doing good work for children. So what sets Christian foster care apart?
It starts with the why. At Sunny Glen Children’s Home in San Benito, our mission isn’t just to meet physical needs, though we absolutely do that. We’re here to address the whole child: body, mind, and spirit. We believe that our beliefs shape our values, our values drive our behaviors, and our behaviors create a culture. That’s not a slogan on a wall. It’s how we live every single day on our campus — and for children in the Rio Grande Valley, where consistent safety can feel like a foreign concept, it meets a need that runs bone-deep.
Children who’ve experienced trauma carry wounds that go far deeper than what you can see. A warm bed and three meals matter, but they aren’t enough on their own. What makes our approach different is that we wrap every interaction in the love of God — teaching our children that they were created with purpose, that their lives count, and that there’s a God who loves them beyond measure.
We also lean heavily on Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), a trauma-informed care model developed at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University. TBRI uses empowering principles to address physical needs, connecting principles for attachment, and correcting principles to disarm fear-based behaviors. Combined with a Christ-centered environment, it gives children something many of them have never had: a real chance to heal.
That healing lives in the details. Knowing when dinner will be served. Knowing who will be there when they wake up. When a child pushes back — and hurting children do — we don’t withdraw. We stay. We measure progress not by perfection, but by persistence: a child who tries again after a hard day, a caregiver who remains steady when emotions run high. Setbacks are part of the process. We accept that with patience.
Learn more about our foster program.
The Role of Faith in a Child’s Healing Journey
Can a child who’s been hurt by every adult they’ve ever trusted really learn to trust again? We believe the answer is yes. And faith plays a central role in that process.
At Sunny Glen, we provide weekly worship services right on our campus. These aren’t forced or rigid. They’re an invitation for children to experience something bigger than their pain. We offer Bible studies where kids can ask questions freely, explore their doubts, and grow in their knowledge of God and His Word at their own pace. We want our children to discover that God is their maker, and that God is love.
When a child begins to believe those truths, it changes how they see themselves. The shame loosens its grip. The anger finds somewhere to go. We’ve watched kids who arrived closed off and afraid slowly begin to open up because they finally felt safe enough to do so.
Beyond safety, we pursue something deeper: belonging. Many of the children who come to us have spent years wondering whether they fit anywhere. At Sunny Glen, belonging is built in the ordinary rhythms of daily life — a child’s voice is heard when decisions are made about their room, their birthday is celebrated with genuine joy, they are included without condition.
Over time, these moments knit together into a sense of family. Children begin to relax, to share laughter, to stop waiting for rejection. That change — from outsider to treasured member of a community — is one of the most powerful things we witness.
That shift — from outsider to treasured member of a community — is one of the most powerful things we witness. See how we work to keep siblings together.
Faith, too, shows up in these ordinary moments. Alongside worship services and Bible studies, it lives in a bedtime prayer, a verse shared over breakfast, a caregiver who models forgiveness after a hard afternoon. These quiet acts often speak louder than any program. For many of our children, it is the first time they hear — not just once, but repeatedly, in a hundred small ways — that they are loved without condition.
Our approach is grounded in our faith-based mission, but we always appreciate and respect the diversity among the children we serve. We don’t force beliefs on anyone. Instead, we create an environment where spiritual growth is possible, where worship happens in spirit and truth, and where every child can experience the kind of unconditional love that points them toward something eternal. If we can plant those seeds early, our hope is that a strong faith will sustain them for the rest of their lives.
How to Get Involved in Christian Foster Care
You don’t have to run a children’s home to make a difference. There are so many ways to step into this work.
One of the most direct ways is to get involved through volunteering. Sunny Glen welcomes individuals and groups who want to serve as positive role models for our children. Whether it’s mentoring, helping with campus activities, or simply showing up consistently, your presence matters more than you might think. For a child who’s been let down repeatedly, seeing someone show up again and again speaks louder than any words.
Financial support is another powerful way to help. Your donations cover essentials like food, clothing, education, and extracurricular activities that give our kids a sense of normalcy. You can make a donation directly and know that every dollar goes toward caring for a child who needs it.
If you’re a student pursuing a degree in social work, counseling, or a related field, we also offer internship opportunities that provide hands-on experience while making a real impact.
Before you take the next step, you might have questions — or doubts you’ve heard from others. We’ve addressed the most common foster care myths here.
Want to learn more about Who We Are or explore our ministries and services? We’d love to hear from you. Sometimes the biggest step is simply reaching out and asking how you can help.
Behind every one of these interactions is a team of staff who have chosen this work as a calling, not a job. They bring professionalism, compassion, and faith into every moment — staying calm during difficult scenes, celebrating small victories, and showing up again when children expect them to leave. We invest deeply in our staff because the mission lives or dies in their daily presence. Their consistency is the living proof of every promise we make to a child.
Supporting Foster Care Through Community and Church
No one does this work alone. That’s not how it’s supposed to be.
We believe the church community has a unique responsibility and an incredible opportunity to wrap around vulnerable children and the people who care for them. When a local congregation rallies behind a children’s home, the impact multiplies in ways that are hard to measure. Meals get cooked. Prayers get lifted. Kids get driven to soccer practice. It’s the small, steady, faithful acts that build trust over time.
At Sunny Glen, our core values of respect, trust, and love aren’t just internal principles. They’re the foundation of every relationship we build with our surrounding community. We’ve seen churches organize supply drives, sponsor campus events, and send teams to simply spend time with our kids. That kind of consistent, loving presence reflects what Scripture teaches about caring for the vulnerable and being the hands and feet of Christ in this world.
The truth is, every child on our campus has a story that would break your heart. But those stories don’t have to end in despair. With the right support from people who genuinely care, these kids can experience a new life, a new hope, and a new day.
If your church or community group is looking for a meaningful way to serve, we’d love to connect. You can contact the team anytime to start a conversation about how we can work together.
Conclusion
Christian foster care is, at its heart, about one thing: love. The kind of love that’s patient and steady. The kind that sees past a child’s trauma and looks directly into their heart. The kind that reflects God’s love for every single one of us.
At Sunny Glen Children’s Home, we’ve been doing this work since 1936, and we’re not slowing down. Every child who walks through our doors deserves to know they’re valued, that their life has purpose, and that healing is possible.
If this resonates with you, we’d love for you to be part of the story. Whether you volunteer, give, pray, or simply share this mission with someone who needs to hear it, you’re making a difference. Come walk alongside us.
Based on the article about Christian foster care at Sunny Glen Children’s Home, here are 8 FAQs:What is Christian foster care?
Christian foster care is a faith-based approach to caring for abused, neglected, and vulnerable children that addresses their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. It combines professional care practices with biblical principles, teaching children that they are loved by God and created with purpose.
What makes Sunny Glen Children’s Home different from other foster care organizations?
Sunny Glen combines Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), a trauma-informed care model, with a Christ-centered environment. Since 1936, the home has focused on healing the whole child—body, mind, and spirit—while providing a safe, loving community in San Benito, Texas.
How does faith help children heal from trauma?
Faith provides children with a sense of hope, purpose, and unconditional love. Through worship services, Bible studies, and a spiritually nurturing environment, children begin to see themselves differently, which helps loosen the grip of shame and fear caused by past trauma.
Do children have to be Christian to receive care at Sunny Glen?
No. Sunny Glen welcomes children of all backgrounds and never forces beliefs on anyone. The home creates an environment where spiritual growth is possible while respecting the diversity of the children they serve.
How can I volunteer with Christian foster care?
You can volunteer at Sunny Glen Children’s Home by mentoring children, helping with campus activities, or simply being a consistent, positive presence. Visit their website to learn more about volunteer opportunities and how to get involved.
What does my donation support?
Donations to Sunny Glen cover essentials like food, clothing, education, and extracurricular activities that give children a sense of normalcy and stability. Every dollar directly supports the care and development of vulnerable children.
How can my church support Christian foster care?
Churches can organize supply drives, sponsor campus events, send volunteer teams, provide meals, or offer prayer support. Consistent, loving involvement from faith communities makes a significant impact on children’s healing journeys.