Get Involved at Sunny Glen Children’s Home

Sunny Glen exists for children who have known abuse and neglect, and who deserve a home where they are safe, loved, and cared for. Since 1936, this home has been that place for kids in the Rio Grande Valley. More than 25,000 of them across the years. What turns a facility into a home is people who show up: mentors, tutors, donors, church groups, and neighbors who decide these children are worth their time.

There is room here for you. You don’t need a background in social work. You need a little time, a willing heart, and the belief that a child’s future can still be rewritten.

There are many ways to get involved at Sunny Glen Children’s Home, from giving your time to giving a gift. Pick the one that fits your life right now.

Volunteer your time

Time is the gift our kids remember. A steady adult who keeps showing up teaches a child something no program can: that they matter, and that people can be trusted again.

You can serve in whatever way fits your schedule, from a single Saturday to a weekly commitment. Common roles include:

• Mentoring a child or a young adult in our transitional living program, offering steady friendship and encouragement.
• Tutoring and homework help to build confidence in school.
• Recreation and enrichment: leading games, crafts, sports, or campus activities.
• Event support for holiday parties, birthdays, and fundraisers.
• Behind-the-scenes help with administrative tasks and light campus maintenance.
• One-time group projects for churches, businesses, and civic clubs looking to serve together.

Who can volunteer. You’ll need to be 18 or older (younger helpers are welcome when supervised by a responsible adult). Every volunteer completes a short application with three references, a criminal background check, a TB screening, and an orientation with our Volunteer Coordinator. It’s a straightforward process, and our staff will walk you through each step.

Volunteering here is a two-way street. The children gain a caring role model; you gain the kind of perspective and purpose that stays with you long after you drive off campus.

Ready to start? Contact us and we’ll help you find the right fit.

Donate

Donations keep the lights on and the pantry full. Your giving pays for the everyday things that make childhood possible: nutritious meals, clothing that fits, school supplies, counseling, and the sports, music, and outings that let a kid just be a kid.

Ways to give:

• One-time or monthly gifts. Recurring donors give us the steady footing to plan ahead for every child in our care.
• Sponsor a need. Cover a specific cost: a semester of school supplies, a birthday, or a counseling session.
• In-kind donations. Clothing, hygiene items, and household goods go directly to the children.
• Honor and memorial gifts. Give in someone’s name to mark a birthday, holiday, or life you want to remember.

Every dollar stays close to home and close to the kids. Sunny Glen is CARF-accredited and holds itself to the ethical fundraising standards of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, including the Donor Bill of Rights.

Donate now →

Intern with us

If you’re working toward a degree or logging supervised hours, an internship at Sunny Glen gives you real experience in child welfare, counseling, and residential care, the kind you can’t get from a textbook.

We host interns across several fields and degree programs, including:

• State and Foster Program internships for students in social work, human services, and related paths.
• Clinical and counseling internships supporting our treatment and therapeutic recreation programs.

Placements come with mentorship from experienced staff and a close look at how trauma-informed care actually works day to day. Visit the postings below for details and to apply.

View internship opportunities →

Spread the word and fundraise

Not everyone can visit campus, and that’s okay. Awareness is its own kind of help. Many of our best volunteers and donors first heard about us from a friend.

• Share our story on social media and with your church, workplace, or class.
• Host a fundraiser: a drive, a benefit night, or a birthday campaign for the kids.
• Rally your congregation. Churches across the Valley partner with us in ways big and small; we’ll help you find yours.

When you tell people what happens here, you widen the circle of adults who care about children who need them.

Partner as a church or business

Sunny Glen grew out of the Churches of Christ and remains a faith-based home, and our work depends on partners across the Rio Grande Valley. Congregations sponsor needs, lead services and Bible studies, and send volunteer teams. Local businesses give in-kind support, host donation drives, and fund programs. If your organization wants to serve but isn’t sure where to start, reach out, and we’ll help you build a partnership that fits.

However you choose to get involved at Sunny Glen Children’s Home, you help a child know they are safe, loved, and worth showing up for.

Sunny Glen Children’s Home

Phone: 956.399.5356 · M–F, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Mailing: PO Box 1373, San Benito, TX 78586
info@sunnyglen.org