Some children placed in foster care come from incredibly painful circumstances. In those cases, it’s more important than ever to provide ideal family placements that meet their specific needs. Our partner, Coyote Hill, provides a safe and nurturing environment for children impacted by foster care. They recruit and support foster parents through the licensing process and offer ongoing assistance to local foster families. For families working toward reunification, they provide a welcoming, home-like space for supervised parental visits.
Daniel endured years of grief and abuse, but his story changed when he arrived at Coyote Hill. He’s now taking the unconditional love he received as a teen at Coyote Hill and applying it to fatherhood. Hear Daniel’s story in his own words.
A Foster Family Neighborhood
One of Coyote Hill’s most remarkable ministries is a foster neighborhood designed for families taking in sibling groups. This 300-acre campus features custom-built homes for large families, each with a spacious dining area and a large table that fosters connection and togetherness. The campus also includes a small lake, hiking trails, playgrounds for each house, and equine therapy. By cultivating a close-knit community, Coyote Hill enables foster families to rely on one another, while children build friendships with peers who understand their journey.
Most importantly, because of the large homes, children get to stay with their siblings. This is crucial during a traumatic time of separation from their families. When siblings stick together, they maintain close bonds and a sense of familiarity.
An Invested Community
Coyote Hill’s impact on local families is so great that many businesses and organizations in Columbia, Missouri seek to support them. Grocery stores and bakeries, send their overstock while others provide discounted or free services like home repairs. Numerous volunteers who care about the well-being of Coyote Hill’s children support their mission.
The University of Missouri also has a special relationship with Coyote Hill. Each summer, the Mizzou Tigers football team hosts Night of Champions, a football camp for kids in foster care. The camp provides an opportunity for children to have fun while the players invest in them. The For Others Team has attended the last three camps to support the Coyote Hill staff and the children we serve together.
Unconditional Love at Coyote Hill
Daniel faced unimaginable tragedy when he lost his mother to suicide at 10 years old. His stepfather coped with drugs and alcohol, often taking his anger out on Daniel and his siblings. Because of this pain and maltreatment, the young boy developed a distorted view of fathers.
“We just did anything we could to not be home,” Daniel recalls.
In Daniel’s first year of high school, the children were removed from their home and entered foster care. That’s when Daniel arrived at Coyote Hill, where he immediately felt a close bond with his new house parents. He finally experienced what healthy, loving family relationships look like, especially the love of a father.
Daniel remembers thinking, “That’s how I’m going to interact with my kids.”
Years later, Daniel is doing just that: passing the same love down to his children. Watch Daniel share his journey to discovering unconditional love here!
For Others raises awareness and empowers best-in-class organizations to end the child welfare crisis in America. Partners like Coyote Hill do incredible work to move the needle, helping children heal and breaking generational curses. Most importantly, they show kids unconditional love and help them understand their worth. You can be a part of this mission with us! Make a donation today to support our state-by-state movement. Thank you for being For Others.
