The mission of Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) is to equip children, youth and families to flourish by offering hope through Christ-centered relationships, services and support.

Founded in Waco, Texas, in 1890, MCH serves youth through residential programs on the Waco campus and Boys Ranch. Each location is unique in its offerings, but together provide a caring, education-focused community designed specifically to meet the needs of the children in our care. As an evidence-based, trauma-informed and mission-centric faith-based organization, MCH is focused on the holistic growth of each child through spiritual, physical and educational opportunities.

Youth attend an accredited charter school on the 130-acre Waco campus, operated in partnership with the University of Texas—University Charter School system and regulated by the Texas Education Agency. In 2015, MCH embarked on a capital campaign to build new residential homes on the Waco campus. The state-of-the-art homes integrate cutting-edge childcare research findings to enhance safe and nurturing environments for children today and in the future.

The 500-acre Boys Ranch is located 10 miles northeast of Waco in the countryside. The Ranch includes three homes, a recreation and activities center, a variety of livestock pens, barns, and a horse arena. Many youth who come to MCH respond better in the specialized, agrarian environment where they are able to work with animals and livestock. Girls and boys from the Waco campus also have the opportunity to participate in Ranch programs, such as Future Farmers of America (FFA).

In 13 locations across Texas and New Mexico, MCH Family Outreach serves children and families through family support and community-based services. MCH will open its 14th location – serving the Permian Basin region of West Texas – in early 2023. Services are designed to meet the needs of families with one or more children ages birth to 17. Each outreach office provides resource information, parenting support and education, case management services, service planning, and advocacy for families. Programs include preservation services, Family Solutions, foster care (in select locations), and the Gap program, which serves grandparents and other relatives who care for children in the absence of parents.

Residents who graduate from high school while under the care of MCH, including youth served through outreach services, are eligible to apply for scholarship assistance to attend a community college, university or technical school. MCH provides transitional support services for former MCH youth from ages 17-26 as they adjust to independent living and pursue advanced education, job training or employment.

Through all its programs, MCH served more than 10,000 individuals last year from diverse backgrounds without regard to ethnicity, religion or financial status. This is done through direct service delivery as well as strategic collaborations with like-minded organizations throughout our service areas. MCH is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) of Services for Families and Children and holds the highest rating for standards and practice from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest evaluator of charities. MCH fulfills its mission through the generosity and support of benefactors, not through church apportionment or government funding. For more information, please visit MCH.org.

Visit Methodist Children’s Home at https://www.mch.org/.