News & Updates

Why Foster Youth Age Out, Not Up

Turning 18 Should Be Exciting—But for Foster Youth, It Often Means Facing the World Alone For most teenagers, turning 18 is a milestone to celebrate. It marks the transition from childhood to adulthood, filled with new opportunities—college, trade school, entering the...

Planting a ‘Garden of Hope’ – How One Eagle Scout Candidate is Helping Sunnybrook Residents See Their Worth

The space outside of the Education Center getting prepped for Linda’s Scout Troop to create a Garden of Hope for the residents of Sunnybrook.

How one Sunnybrook Alum Stayed Close to the Organization

Earlene Carson was 7 years old when she first came to Sunnybrook in the late 1960s.  She, along with her twin sister and eight other siblings, were sent to Sunnybrook by the state of Mississippi while their parents worked on improving their home life.  The...
The Gift of a Good Home: Larry Owens’ Story

The Gift of a Good Home: Larry Owens’ Story

Evidence-based programs and interventions provide stability and valuable resources for young adults aging out of foster care to help them successfully navigate this critical phase of their lives. Many 16–24-year-olds aging out of the foster care system encounter...

Sunnybrook Cares: Cooking Up a Weekend Getaway with the Carters

Sunnybrook Cares: Cooking Up a Weekend Getaway with the Carters

Foster and adoptive families reconnect by unplugging and enjoying a weekend of respite at Sunset Hill, a unique Sunnybrook Cares program. A New Vision for Sunset Hill Foster parents have a difficult, but necessary job. They provide a home for children and youth that...

Uplifting Hearts and Hope: Counseling at Sunnybrook

Uplifting Hearts and Hope: Counseling at Sunnybrook

In 2014 the U.S. Senate declared June as National PTSD Awareness Month, a disease that impacts 25% of our foster care youth often stemming from histories of abuse, trauma, and neglect. At the age of five, Kenny Spansel knew he was different. His speech impediment...

Carrying the Torch: Advancing the Ministry

Carrying the Torch: Advancing the Ministry

Launching a new foster care program for adolescents might seem daunting for some, but not for Executive Director Myrle Grate. When asked to lead the charge he accepted the challenge without question. Grate embarked on his calling at Sunnybrook three years ago when he...

Tim Waldrop Reflects on 40 Years of Living and Working at Sunnybrook

Tim Waldrop Reflects on 40 Years of Living and Working at Sunnybrook

At the age of 13, Tim Waldrop's world turned upside down when his mother passed away, leaving him and his five younger brothers without a caretaker.  Shortly after entering the care of Child Protective Services, he and his brothers were referred to Sunnybrook, a...

How Sunnybrook’s Maintenance Man Helps Repair Broken Souls

How Sunnybrook’s Maintenance Man Helps Repair Broken Souls

At first glance, his name tag says it all: Mo Ghaffarian, Maintenance Manager.  His job is to repair anything and everything that breaks at Sunnybrook, a transitional living home that supports and guides foster adolescents in Mississippi. After nearly 60 years of...

Young Life Summer Camp Proves Transformative for Sunnybrook Girls

Young Life Summer Camp Proves Transformative for Sunnybrook Girls

After months of planning, preparation and prayer, there was much to celebrate when Sunnybrook residents returned from their first Carolina Point Young Life camp experience.  Young Life provides a five-star camping experience, packed with summer fun, and a message...

Back to School: Help Unlock the Future for Foster Youth

Back to School: Help Unlock the Future for Foster Youth

The promise of another school year is upon us, and the youth at Sunnybrook are preparing for their next academic adventure. As they look ahead to a new class schedule with new teachers, the opportunity for a brighter, more educated future has the power to alter the...

A Sunnybrook Success Story: Welcomed Back with Open Arms

A Sunnybrook Success Story: Welcomed Back with Open Arms

Swaying back and forth on the porch swing in the backyard of her teenage home, Deondra Willis reflected on her experience at Sunnybrook, a residential campus supporting foster youth ages 16-24. Her journey began five years ago when she found herself standing in front...

Sunnybrook Houseparents: Hospitality at the Front Lines of Faith

Sunnybrook Houseparents: Hospitality at the Front Lines of Faith

Sunnybrook houseparents serve an essential role in our ministry, building a Christian foundation with our residents and shepherding them into a productive life. Human connection has the power to change lives. Its consistent presence helps lay the foundation for key...

Harry’s Take: My Foster Family Saved My Life

Harry’s Take: My Foster Family Saved My Life

Learning the True Meaning of Family Thinking back on it nearly six decades later, Harry Liggett can describe his home life in nine simple words that hold an ocean of meaning: “Things were not well and life was not good.” At times, Liggett’s household included a...

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