When Children Are Suffering
Be the Church Known for Caring
Guidance and resources to help churches care for foster, adoptive, and vulnerable children and families.
Not everyone will open their home to children in foster care, but everyone can do something. You and your church can do something meaningful to help struggling children and families in your community.
Local churches and their people care and believe they should help, reflecting God’s love and compassion for the vulnerable; however, many hesitate to get involved due to uncertainty about what to do, where to start, and how to provide meaningful and sustainable support for these children and their families.
Chestnut Mountain Village provides guidance and tools that make it easy for you and your church to effectively care for vulnerable children and families in your community.
Start Discovering Your Something Today.
Chestnut Mountain Village (‘The Village’), a ministry of Chestnut Mountain Ranch, guides and equips churches to care for vulnerable children and families using a proven, step-by-step method. The Village believes that there should be clear, manageable, and proven ways for your church to effectively care for kids and families in your communities.
“Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” –James 1:27
WHEN CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING:
West Virginia has the highest number of children in the foster care system per capita. For every 1,000 babies born in West Virginia, 24.6 are removed due to maltreatment. This is more than three times the national average of seven per 1,000.
Over 60% of children in foster care are removed due to neglect. In West Virginia, it is estimated that 85% of child cases involve drug use. Over 60% of children in foster care will experience seven or more school changes.
Advocates consistently report that there is an insufficient number of foster families to care for these children. 80% of families who foster stop fostering within two years. Without support and care, the future for these children can be bleak.
THE VILLAGE PLAN BENEFITS:
Organized for Action
Organized, volunteer-led opportunities to support foster care and adoption in your community.
Hope for Children
Children and families are served and experience the love of Christ through the local church and community partners
Growing in Christ
A proven, step-by-step framework for spiritual and discipleship growth.
Join the Movement
Guiding and equipping churches to care for vulnerable children and families using a proven, step-by-step method.
VILLAGE NEWS & UPDATES
What If Foster Care Was Built to Heal?
What if the most transformative solutions in foster care don’t come from better policies or expanded programs—but from the restoration of broken relationships? That’s the core question posed by Praxis, a nonprofit that equips faith-driven founders and innovators to build ventures marked by justice, mercy, and lasting impact. In their recent publication, “A Redemptive Thesis […]
Preston County to Launch Next Phase of CarePortal Initiative in West Virginia
Media Contacts:Greg Clutter, DirectorChestnut Mountain Village304-612-6265greg@chestnutmountainranch.orgAngel Hightower, Communication SpecialistWest Virginia Department of Human Services304-558-0684angelica.q.hightower@wv.gov What:A public launch and celebration event introducing CarePortal to Preston County—only the second county launch of CarePortal in all of West Virginia. CarePortal is a technology platform that connects local churches with real-time needs of vulnerable children and families, empowering communities […]
Building Trust for “More Than Enough” in West Virginia
In West Virginia, we can pursue a bold and achievable vision: More Than Enough for every child and family impacted by foster care. That means more than enough foster and kinship families, more than enough support for biological families, and more than enough wraparound care from churches and communities across our state. A vision like […]
Village Resource Center
Visit our Resource Center for articles, posts, and videos to help guide you through supporting children and families who are active in foster, adoption, and kinship care.
About Us
Chestnut Mountain Village (‘The Village’), a ministry of Chestnut Mountain Ranch, is dedicated to creating Christ-centered communities to provide hope and homes for vulnerable kids and families. To do this, the Village guides and equips church partners to care for vulnerable children and families by providing a proven, step-by-step ministry model …