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

February is Volunteer Month!

by Mandy Nester | Feb 6, 2018

February is Volunteer Month and Joy Ranch will be celebrating all month long! Our volunteers are integral to the work we do; from renovating cottages and campus beautification projects to offering horse therapy and hosting game nights for our kids, Joy Ranch is able...

Congrats to Angel, resident of Joy Ranch!

by Mandy Nester | Dec 6, 2017

We are so happy to announce that one of our residents, Angel, won the 4th grade spelling bee and earned a free year of “Encyclopedia Britannica for Kids” online! What a blessing these children are.

Live Nativity Scheduled for December 9, 2017

by Mandy Nester | Nov 17, 2017

Saturday, December 9 from 6-8 pm at 813 Joy Ranch Rd, Woodlawn VA Enjoy our FREE drive thru live nativity celebrating the real reason for the season (Jesus' birth). Different scenes set up leading to the manger, followed by FREE refreshments and hundreds of nativity...

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Latest From Tales of a Houseparent Blog

Benny Lee

by Mandy Nester | 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...

Exodus Cottage News

by Mandy Nester | August 13, 2025 | Houseparent Blog, News | 3 Comments

After twelve years of serving as houseparents at Joy Ranch, Gene & Bethany Collins are resigning from our Exodus girls' cottage. Bethany is currently dealing with some health challenges which requires them to step away from the Joy Ranch ministry. Please pray for...

Leebrick Cottage – Words from New Houseparents

by Ashley Arnold | August 12, 2025 | Houseparent Blog, News | 1 Comment

(Originally posted August 9, 2025 by Ashley Arnold) Today, our cottage doors officially opened! Houseparents… Such a simple word, but one that carries a weight only Heaven truly understands! When you open the door to a cottage like this, you’re not just stepping into...

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.