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

Meet Julia

by Erin Austin | Jun 29, 2020

We have some awesome kiddos at Joy Ranch. It is our privilege to walk alongside and help them heal, grow, and mature into the amazing people God created them to be. You know them through the photos we share, but we’d like to introduce them to you individually over the...

Summer News!

by Mandy Nester | Jun 24, 2020

It's officially here, and so is our summer newsletter. Take a look and share! Click here to view/download the pdf file.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

by Erin Austin | Jun 20, 2020

We survived! School is officially over. I think it’s safe to say the last three months of school was a learning experience for everyone. We’ve all been stretched and grown, both as a group and individually. But now that school is over, what do we do? Our beach trip?...

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Latest From Tales of a Houseparent Blog

Sew, Let’s Go!

by Mandy Nester | April 25, 2026 | Houseparent Blog, News | 0 Comments

It's been said that a quilt will warm your body and comfort your soul. If that's the case, a personalized quilt made with love will do even more than that! Back in the fall, Joy Ranch residents were blessed to receive handmade quilts personalized with each child's...

Chapter 11 – Light Moments

by Erin Austin | April 6, 2026 | Feed My Lambs, Houseparent Blog | 0 Comments

By: Erin Austin Life at Joy Ranch isn't all hard. In fact, I would say the good far outweighs the bad. We've learned to celebrate, laugh, and find joy in in simple things that many would bypass, but it's in those little victories that healing happens."We learned that...

Chapter 7 – Benny Lee

by Erin Austin | September 29, 2025 | Feed My Lambs, Houseparent Blog | 0 Comments

Chapter 7 - BENNY LEE (Excerpt from "Feed My Lambs", the Joy Ranch story) By Mary McHenry To the beginnings of Joy Ranch belongs the story of Benny Lee (not his real name), a boy who lived through 161 visiting Sundays at the home with no visitor he could really call...

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.