Articles
Child & Family Healing Center (Part III): Curious Not Furious
November 13, 2019
People do well if they can. A fairly simple statement, to be sure, and one that’s recognized as a guiding principal across UMFS. And to help people do well, you must understand where they’re coming from.
UMFS Child & Family Healing Center (Part II): Helping Youth Heal
November 12, 2019
Cottage Manager Tavis Foushee and Senior Manager of Residential Life Dana Ray have witnessed quite a lot in their combined 33 years at UMFS Child & Family Healing Center (CFHC): an adolescent with trauma so severe they’d lie on the ground gagging for hours;
UMFS Child & Family Healing Center (Part I): “I’m So Proud of You”
November 11, 2019
In a tender moment of palpable relief — a moment she’d been so obviously anticipating — a little sister clutched her big brother in such a way that everyone in the UMFS Dining Hall was thrust into silence.
UMFS Unwavering Champion Bekah Closs
November 8, 2019
At UMFS, we are unwavering champions for high-risk children and families, collaborating with communities to help them reach their full potential. Each month, we name an employee as Unwavering Champion of the Month for going above and beyond in upholding our agency’s mission and values.
The Jones Family: Caring for Kids and Kin
November 4, 2019
When Sherrika Jones learned in 2015 that she had a young cousin in foster care, she and her husband immediately contacted social services and expressed their desire to adopt.
UMFS Unwavering Champion Oasia Banks
September 20, 2019
At UMFS, we are unwavering champions for high-risk children and families, collaborating with communities to help them reach their full potential. Each month, we name an employee as Unwavering Champion of the Month for going above and beyond in upholding our agency’s mission and values.
Luan Laying the Groundwork for His Future
September 9, 2019
Ask Luan about landscaping, and he’ll tell you he digs it. It hasn’t always been that way, though. “I didn’t think it was any fun,” Luan said of his first few days as an apprentice.
UMFS Auxiliary: 90 Years of Service
September 3, 2019
Helen Wood has fond memories of United Methodist Family Services. When she was 4 years old, her mother was a member of the UMFS Women’s Auxiliary. While her mother volunteered, Helen kept busy with a coloring book and an eight-pack of crayons.
Kind Soles: Kindergartners Pair Children in Foster Care with Shoes
August 28, 2019
It’s 8:30 on a sunny Wednesday morning in late May, and 40 Collegiate School kindergartners are buzzing about their classroom in anticipation of an end-of-year field trip to Maymont. But before heading off to explore the 100-acre historic Richmond estate, the students get a visit from a familiar and friendly face.
UMFS Unwavering Champion George Merryman
August 27, 2019
At UMFS, we are unwavering champions for high-risk children and families, collaborating with communities to help them reach their full potential. Each month, we name an employee as Unwavering Champion of the Month for going above and beyond in upholding our agency’s mission and values.