Some people find their place in a community through a carefully made plan. Others get there because someone simply asks them to help.
For Wayne Lowry, it started in 2009 with an invitation from a friend at church to spend 30 minutes tutoring children at Sunny Glen Children’s Home. Wayne was not looking for a new role, and he was not sure what he could offer. His friend told him to come anyway, so he decided to give it a try.
Those 30 minutes introduced him to a place and a group of children he would not soon forget.
At the time, he could not have known how much that small decision would shape the years ahead. He only knew that he enjoyed being there, and that was enough reason to come back.
A Story 90 Years in the Making
In 2009, Wayne was not planning a long-term future with Sunny Glen. A friend from church simply invited him to spend 30 minutes tutoring children, and that small invitation became the start of something much bigger.
As he became more involved, Wayne helped organize a fundraising effort that raised about $14,000 and was later invited to join the Board of Directors. When Sunny Glen began looking for house parents, he encouraged others to consider the role until someone finally asked him:
“Why don’t you do it?”
Eventually, Wayne and his wife did. He stepped away from ministry, she stepped away from teaching, and together they became house parents. During their 13 months on campus, they cared for 18 young people, including a sibling group of six they still keep in touch with today.
Wayne later returned to nonprofit work, but his connection to Sunny Glen continued. He eventually came back to the board, served as board president, and in November 2025 was asked to lead the organization as CEO.
What began with 30 minutes of tutoring had grown into a journey of service spanning more than a decade. Along the way, Wayne’s role changed many times, but the reason he kept coming back stayed simple: he believed in the children, the mission, and the people doing the work.
His story is a reminder that meaningful service does not always begin with a big plan. Sometimes, it starts with one small opportunity, one decision to help, and a willingness to keep showing up.
Growing With the Needs of Children and Families
Wayne’s story is only one part of a much bigger story that has been growing for 90 years.
Sunny Glen began in 1936 with six children in a small house near La Feria. Over time, the organization grew as the needs of children and families changed. What started small became a place where more young people could receive care, support, and guidance.
Today, Sunny Glen’s work includes State Foster Care, Supervised Independent Living, counseling through the Poenisch Counseling Center, and care for refugee children. Each program serves people in different situations, but they all share the same goal: to help children and young people feel supported and better prepared for what comes next.
You can learn more about Sunny Glen’s history and programs.
The programs may have changed over the years. The buildings may have changed too. But the heart behind the work has stayed the same.
As shared during the presentation: “While our programs and facilities have evolved, the heart of our mission has not.”
That mission remains simple: Providing a place of hope for every child.
For Sunny Glen, that means more than giving a child a place to stay. It means helping them feel safe, cared for, and supported while they take the next steps in their lives.
That same purpose has guided Sunny Glen for generations, and it continues to shape the work today.
Welcome. Nurture. Equip. Release.
That mission can be understood through four simple words:
Welcome. Nurture. Equip. Release.
To welcome means giving a child or young person a place where they can feel safe, accepted, and cared for.
To nurture means being there in the everyday moments by offering stability, encouragement, and relationships they can trust.
To equip means helping young people build the skills, confidence, and independence they need for the future.
And to release means supporting them as they take the next step, whatever that next chapter may look like.
Every young person’s journey is different. Some may need more time, more support, or a different path forward. But the goal is the same: to help them leave with more confidence, more stability, and more hope for what comes next.
We Are Sunny Glen
That responsibility doesn’t belong to one person or one department.
Being Sunny Glen means bringing its mission and values into everyday work. It can happen in a big decision, a difficult conversation, a new skill taught, a sibling relationship protected, or simply in being someone a child can count on.
Be Part of the Story
Sometimes, becoming part of something meaningful starts in a small way with one conversation, one hour, one decision to show up.
For 90 years, Sunny Glen has been shaped by people who chose to care, serve, and stay present for children and young people who needed them.
If Wayne’s story moved you, reach out to the Sunny Glen team and learn how you can become part of what comes next, whether that means volunteering, supporting a program, or giving.
Sometimes, all it takes is one yes.
We’d be glad to hear from you.
What does “We Are Sunny Glen” mean?
“We Are Sunny Glen” reflects the idea that every person on the team helps shape a child’s experience. The work is carried out not only through programs and services, but through everyday interactions — welcoming, listening, teaching, supporting, and consistently showing up.
What does “Welcome. Nurture. Equip. Release.” mean?
The four words describe Sunny Glen’s approach to walking alongside children and young people. They are welcomed into a place of care, nurtured through stability and supportive relationships, equipped with skills and confidence for the future, and supported as they move into their next chapter.
How long has Sunny Glen Children’s Home been serving children?
Sunny Glen was founded in 1936 and marks its 90th year in 2026. The organization moved to its San Benito campus in 1949 and began providing state foster care services in 1973.
What services does Sunny Glen provide?
Sunny Glen’s work includes State Foster Care, Supervised Independent Living, counseling through the Poenisch Counseling Center, and care for refugee children. These services support children, young adults, families, and community members at different stages and with different needs.
How can I get involved with Sunny Glen?
There are different ways to support Sunny Glen’s work. You can contact the team to learn more, explore volunteer opportunities, or make a gift to support the children and young people in its care.