His children shall have a place of refuge. Proverbs 14:26

Our Mission

Provide a safe, caring, and Christ-centered home to meet the spiritual, physical, emotional, and social needs of children in crisis.

How To Help

Partner with us today! There are many ways that you can help a child in need. We accept monetary & non-monetary donations and can come speak to your organization about our mission.

Donate

Volunteer

Be a part of what is happening at Joy Ranch! There are opportunities for churches, service groups, and individuals alike.

Find Your Spot

Our Team

Our staff is more than just a group of employees: we believe that each team member is an essential part of the Joy Ranch family.

Meet Our Incredible Team

Get Our Newsletter

Want to keep up with what's happening at Joy Ranch? Join our mailing list to get newsletters from us straight to your inbox.

Our Work

News & Events

Yard Sale – April 15, 2023

by Mandy Nester | Apr 4, 2023

Come one, come all to our Joy Ranch yard sale in our gym - rain or shine! Saturday, April 15 starting at 8 am until noon. All kinds of furniture, home decor, horse saddles, tack, and more! Don't miss it and be sure to tell your friends!

Questions with Chloe

by Erin Austin | Apr 4, 2023

What is your favorite food? Cheesy pizza pasta What is your least favorite food? Squash, specifically yellow squash. The texture is slimy and blah! What is your favorite game? Pokémon (the video game) What is your favorite animal? What is your favorite animal...

Overflow

by Bethany Collins | Mar 28, 2023

What is in, will come out, one way or another. I once heard a Christian musician say that what happens on stage at his show should be an overflow of what happens backstage. It shouldn’t be a performance. It should be an overflow. What is overflow? Clear and...

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Latest From Tales of a Houseparent Blog

Building By Faith

by Erin Austin | August 4, 2025 | Feed My Lambs, Houseparent Blog, News | 0 Comments

[Photo: Resident Jaxson helps in a building project] By: Erin Austin "I do not know why people call a project undertaken by faith a venture of faith. That is exactly what it is not. Webster defines a venture as an undertaking involving chance, risk, or danger. Faith...

A Small Beginning

by Erin Austin | July 12, 2025 | All, Feed My Lambs, Houseparent Blog | 0 Comments

by Erin Austin I've often said that Joy Ranch is a unicorn among children's homes. For multiple reasons, Joy Ranch doesn't fit into a mold. One of these is in the area of finances. From the beginning, the McHenrys vowed to trust God for all of their needs. "We were...

A Homeless Boy

by Erin Austin | July 1, 2025 | All, Feed My Lambs, Houseparent Blog, News | 0 Comments

Blog by Erin Austin Working with traumatized, abused children is one of the hardest things a person can do. It is heartbreaking, exhausting, and at times, intense. It is not easy. The things we hear and see are mind-boggling. A well-meaning person once told me after I...

Celebrating 60 Years Helping Kids in 2021.

Since opening its doors in 1961 under the direction of the Rev. Richard and Mary McHenry, Joy Ranch, has served over 5000 children and their families in crisis.

History of Joy Ranch

Faith Funded

Joy Ranch is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Your gifts are tax deductible. Joy Ranch is funded by faith through donations from individuals, churches and other organizations. Joy Ranch is licensed by the state of Virginia but receives no yearly-allocated state funding. We abide by the standards for membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.