Are you a non-profit 501C3 organization?

Yes, We were approved in 1999 as non-profit allowing us to give tax receipts for individuals giving gifts to Joy Of Life, Inc. We are governed by a local board and have oversight from many professionals.

We can’t give personal, confidential information about individual children but as other questions arise, feel free to contact us. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.  It does make a difference.

When did you start?

We (Donna Garrett and Twila Ressler) felt this call on our lives in 1990. We began thru the local Social Services foster care but our greatest concern was for the children and families who Social Services doesn’t reach. That’s when we began a journey to find out how to provide a home for the unreached children in need. Our desire was for each child to feel like they found home not like an institution so they could feel secure, loved and grow into what a healthy family could be. We established Joy Of Life, Inc in 1997. 

How are you funded?

Mostly through donations from individuals, churches, businesses. Any child support that the child previously received gets turned over to us. We do get some SSI funds if a child has disabilities that qualify. And IF a child comes thru Social Services foster care, we get monthly funds for that child.

Why don’t the parents pay to have their children in your care?

We knew from the beginning that if we were really to reach the children in these situations that money could get in the way of the children getting help. Often in dysfunctional homes, money is more important than the children so we knew we were to never ask for money but trust the Lord to provide through other means.

Do you accept children that come with no money?

Yes! Many times we have children in our care that we get no finances for. We cover all their needs and expenses regardless.

Do you get medical assistance?

Most of our children have Medicaid or other insurance. Occasionally we do have children without insurance and we have parents who insist their children must only take herbal therapies that aren’t covered by insurance.

Why doesn’t the Social Services Foster Care take them? I thought our Government handled it.

We live in a very broken world. The number of children in need is staggering, they can’t reach them all. According to the Virginia Code, Social Services is required to make every attempt to keep the children in the families care by providing wrap-around services.  If that cannot be done, they are to seek help from relatives.  Social Services is also required to “prove” abuse, neglect etc to the court. Often a family needs help and the abuse is too obscure to prove. I remember when I called a local Social Services foster agency years ago to see if they’d take an abused child into their system and place them with us due to the fact that the mother didn’t feel like she could care for the child anymore. The ladies response shook us and validated to us the call God gave. She replied. “We get calls everyday from parents who don’t want their children anymore! But that’s not what we do.” My heart cried out, “That’s what we do! We’ll take them, love them and lead them.” Parents in that situation likely will abuse if they aren’t already abusing. Social Services foster care helps a lot of children but NOT nearly all of them.

Are you supported by a church?

Although we are supported by our home church which we regularly attend, we have felt from the beginning that this ministry was to be a ministry of THE church not one church. The need is so big and God has given talents that can be used by many. One church alone could never meet all the needs and shouldn’t receive the blessings alone. This ministry has been supported by all denominations and has seen many people come together for the common concern of helping children in need.

Do the kids come up for adoption?

In our experience so far that has never occurred. We take kids for a great variety of reasons but often the parents don’t want to relinquish their connections, only their responsibilities. We go to court to receive guardianship of the children and then depending on the court and the situation they may stay or they may eventually return. However most the kids we take have had great trauma and abuse that requires long term care.  In Virginia, adoption can only happen if the parents rights are terminated and Social Services is the only one who can do that.  Therefore, if the parent comes directly to us adoption could only be done if they desire that and that has not been our experience.

Do you need volunteers?

Yes, most definitely. We believe a team approach is most helpful. If you can think about what you enjoy doing or what your gifts are, we try to fit that into the work here. Whether it is mentoring a child, making a repair, sharing your favorite subject or cleaning. The things you enjoy can benefit others. That way our joint efforts benefit everyone.