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Barium Springs Home for Children strives to make a difference in the lives of children and families throughout North Carolina. And as the needs of children and families become greater, we are driven to grow in order to meet their needs.
The Board of Regents of Barium Springs Home for Children has recognized that the most urgent needs to NC's children today are two-fold:
- The care of high-risk children currently not served appropriately in our state
- The consultation and education that will help to build healthy families.
We strive to meet those needs by expanding and improving our group home program, serving more families in our early childhood education center, building a strong training and consulting program and creating a safer, unified pedestrian campus. These goals are realized through our generous supporters. Many donors contribute to our giving society each year. Others also give to our most recent capital campaign called Springs of Hope, Wings of Promise. NC Attorney General, Roy Cooper, and his wife, Kristin Cooper, led this $6.1 million campaign.
Springs of Hope - Wings of Promise Campaign
The Springs of Hope, Wings of Promise capital campaign is currently underway. The renovations and building projects will increase the number of youth served by 52%! This construction effort marks a new era for Barium Springs Home for Children, as no new buildings have been constructed on campus since the 1970's.
Construction includes Little Joe's Chapel and Enrichment Center and the new Early Childcare Center. An existing group home has already been relocated to the northwest corner of campus to become a Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility. This relocation has created a more cohesive and private area for all the residential homes. Five of the existing group homes were renovated during the early phases of the campaign as well. The construction project also includes two athletic fields; improvements in the infrastructure, such as sewer and roads; a formal entrance to the campus; and expansion of walking trails.
Gifts to the capital campaign effort will be accepted until the completion of the construction phase. For more information, call 1-800-320-4157.
Little Joe's Chapel & Enrichment Center
The recently completed Little Joe's is a significant addition to the campus! The building is named after the original Little Joe's Church which was built in 1906. The church was named in honor of Joe Gilliand, known at the Home as Little Joe. Little Joe was a frail, but warm-hearted young boy, who died at age nine. Among his personal possessions was found a small coin purse containing 45 cents and a note saying the money was for a church. During his lifetime, Little Joe had often talked about building a church on campus, so the children at the Home would not have to walk into Troutman to attend worship services. Little Joe's story became an inspiration to Presbyterians around the state, and money began to come to the Home marked for Little Joes' Church. The church remained active on the campus until 1955 when a decision was made to build a larger building on the north end of the campus. The newly constructed Little Joe's symbolizes the rich history of Barium Springs and honors the orphanage era of the Home. In the peak years of the orphanage era, more than 350 children called Barium Springs their "home." The alumni of the orphanage era have raised significant funds toward the construction of the new building, which was built on the site of the original Little Joe's Church. Besides its historical reference, Little Joe's Chapel and Enrichment Center contains a large meeting room, which serves as a training facility. The facility is available for community events such as public meetings, weddings, or other events that require the space. It has a seating capacity of over 200 people. For information about leasing Little Joe's, click here.
Wagner Family & Child Development Center
The new childcare center (FCDC) is a state of the art early childhood center. The 17,000 square foot building features 10 classrooms, with outdoor play areas accessible from each of the classrooms. The building also includes observation areas used for training and evaluation. The facility allows FCDC to increase capacity for 84 children to at least 115 children. One of the program goals is to serve a minimum of 30 children with identified special needs or at-risk for developmental delays. The 10 classrooms provide both full-time and part-time childcare to children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old in addition to serving at risk children enrolled in a state-funded pre-kindergarten program.
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When I first got to Barium Springs I hated it. I ran away a lot and fought with my Family Teachers. Since I have been here they have taught me that they care about me. Before I came here, I did not feel like anyone wanted me.
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