A Legacy of Hope, Care, and Compassion
Since our founding in 1890, HopeTree Family Services has been dedicated to serving vulnerable children, families, and adults through Christ-centered care. What began as a small mission has grown into a trusted organization providing foster care, mental-health services, residential programs, and family support across Virginia.
This is our story—a journey of faith, service, and transformation.
How It All Began
Nearly 140 years ago, a group of Baptist pastors and parishioners sought to address a pressing issue in the Commonwealth of Virginia: the care of orphaned children. While neighboring states had established systems for supporting indigent children, Virginia lacked any organized structure for the thousands of children without proper guardians. However, on December 15, 1887, a donation of $1.50 initiated the founding of an orphanage for Virginia’s children. Officially chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1890, the Baptist Orphanage of Virginia welcomed its first residents on July 2, 1892.
After five decades of service, it became apparent that few of the children at the orphanage were truly orphaned. Many families were placing children in the orphanage due to economic hardships. To more accurately reflect the nature of its mission, the Board of Trustees voted in 1954 to rename the orphanage to Virginia Baptist Children’s Home.
30 years later, the organization observed a shift in the reasons children were placed in care. Increasingly, children were coming from homes affected by abuse or neglect, rather than financial difficulties. In response, new ministries were developed to address not only the needs of the children but also those of their families. By 1985, the Board of Trustees recognized the need for another name change to better reflect the expanded focus of the organization on healing both children and families. As a result, the Virginia Baptist Children’s Home became Virginia Baptist Children’s Home & Family Services.
As the needs of the community evolved, so did the services provided by the organization. In 1992, a new ministry was established to support adults with intellectual disabilities—the Developmental Disabilities Ministry. This initiative focused on creating home-like environments for adults who required specialized care to lead fulfilling, productive lives. The ministry now operates 17 group homes across Virginia, from Abingdon to Virginia Beach.
With its expanding scope of services—including homes for individuals with developmental disabilities, foster care, and alternative education—the organization no longer resembles the original Baptist Orphanage of the 1890s. As such, it became clear that a new name was necessary. The organization adopted HopeTree Family Services as its official “Doing Business As” name, to reflect its broad range of services and commitment to inclusivity.
Milestones in Our Journey
1800’s
- December 15, 1887: First contribution of $1.50 toward the creation of an orphanage for Virginia’s children
- February 24, 1890: Charter was signed and the Baptist Orphanage of Virginia was incorporated
- May 1, 1891: George J. Hobday becomes first Superintendent of the Baptist Orphanage of Virginia
- July 1, 1891: First brick laid for Evans Cottage, named in honor of John W. Evans who donated the land for the orphanage in Salem
- July 1, 1892: Evans Cottage opens
- July 2, 1892: First two children, a brother and sister from Vinton, came to the orphanage
- 1893: Superintendent’s Residence opens
- 1894: Infirmary opens
- March 1, 1895: Schmelz Cottage opens
- 1895: Industrial Shop opens
- 1897: First barn is built
1910’s
- 1910: Straley Infirmary opens
- 1911: Printing Department building opens
- 1912: Carpenter Cottage opens
1930’s
- 1937: Straley Infirmary burns down
- 1938: Infirmary rebuilt, renamed Straley-Kinchloe
1950’s
- 1954: Baptist Orphanage of Virginia changes name to Virginia Baptist Children’s Home
- Mid 1950’s: Schmelz Cottage demolished
- 1956: Dr. Raymond Franklin Hough, Sr. retires as Superintendent
- 1956: Keesee Memorial Activities and Recreational Building opens
- 1956: English Cottage opens
- 1957: R. Franklin Hough, Jr. becomes Superintendent
- Late 1950’s, Early 1960’s: Ellett Cottage demolished
1970’s
- November 1975: Great Barn burns down, replaced with pole barn
- 1978: Regional office opens in Annandale, VA
- 1979: Janie C. Crowder Memorial Building demolished
1990’s
- 1992: Developmental Disabilities Ministry (DDM) is launched
- 1993: Kelly Home (DDM) opens in Fredericksburg
- 1994: Cates Home (DDM) opens in Fredericksburg
- 1996: Alma Hunt Home (DDM) opens in Salem
- 1997: Horne Home (DDM) opens in Martinsville
- 1998: Houston Home (DDM) opens in Richmond
- 1999: Waldbauer Home (DDM) opens in Richmond
2010’s
- 2014: HopeTree Wright Home (DDM) opens in Virginia Beach
- 2015: Blessings Home (DDM) opens in Salem
- 2017: Smith Home (DDM) opens in Martinsville
- 2017: Rockdale Home (DDM) opens in Chesterfield
- 2019: Cockrell Home (DDM) opens in Henrico
1900’s
- 1900: Ellett Cottage opens
- 1901: The Main Building – “Old Main” – opens
- 1903-1904: Portmouth Cottage opens
- 1906: Charles L. Corbitt becomes Superintendent
1920’s
- 1920: Janie C. Crowder Memorial Building opens
- 1921: Old Infirmary demolished
- 1922: Hobday Home Economics Building opens
- 1923: Boys Memorial Cottage opens
- 1923: Second barn (large) is built
- 1924: P. Harris Chelf becomes Superintendent
- 1925: Martin S. Noffsinger becomes Superintendent
- 1928: Dr. Raymond Franklin Hough, Sr. becomes Superintendent
- Fall 1928: New Superintendent’s Home opens
- 1929: Shiloh Association Cottage and Potomac Industrial Building open
1940’s
- 1949: Titmus Cottage opens
1960’s
- 1962: Sallie L. Carpenter Cottage for girls (previous Superintendent’s Home) demolished
- 1963: Dairy operations close
- Mid-1960’s: Longview Cottage opens
- 1965: Regional office opens in Newport News, VA
- 1966: Robertson Cottage opens
- 1966: Evans Cottage demolished
- 1967: The Main Building – “Old Main” – demolished
- 1967: New Evans Cottage opens
- Late 1960’s: Administration Building opens
- 1969: Newport News regional office closes
1980’s
- 1980: Regional office opens in Richmond, VA
- 1980: Ruth Camp Campbell Cottage opens
- 1980: Boys Memorial Cottage closed
- 1981: New regional office opens in Newport News, VA
- Summer 1981: Wilderness Opportunity and Off-Campus Discovery School (W.O.O.D.S.) opens
- 1985: Virginia Baptist Children’s Home changes name to Virginia Baptist Children’s Home & Family Services
2000’s
- 2000: Heinrich Home (DDM) opens in Richmond
- 2001: Bradley Home (DDM) opens in Abingdon
- 2002: Stephenson Home (DDM) opens in Richmond
- 2006: Southside Home (DDM) opens in Farmville
- 2007: Virginia Baptist Children’s Home & Family Services changes name to HopeTree Family Services
- 2007: Fife Home (DDM) opens in Abingdon
- 2007: Wilkinson Home (DDM) opens in Blue Ridge
- 2009: New HopeTree Academy building opens in Salem
- 2009: Foster Home (DDM) opens in Virginia Beach
- 2009: Bledsoe Home (DDM) opens in Salem
2020’s
- 2020: Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy program is launched
- 2024: Family Centered Treatment program is launched
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on our history, we’re inspired to continue our mission of transforming lives and strengthening families. Moving forward, we aim to:
- Expand our foster care, DDM and Family Centered Treatment programs.
- Reach more individuals through community partnerships and outreach.
- Continue adapting to the needs of children, families, and adults that we support.
We invite you to be part of our ongoing journey as we create a brighter future for those in need.