Shineforth

26/01/2026

Thank you, Peakland United Methodist Church, for donating a delicious meal for Shineforth's foster families in the Lynchburg area during a recent support group. The pasta, garlic bread, and salad were all amazing! Thank you, Pastor Joe and Peakland United Methodist Church for your enthusiasm and kindness. We're deeply grateful for the generous support you provide to foster families.

23/01/2026

Shineforth was grateful for the opportunity to connect with legislators during the annual Lobby Day at the Virginia State Capitol. Many thanks to Del. Katrina Callsen, Del. Debra Gardner, Sen. Stella Pekarsky, Del. David Reid, Sen. Danica Roem, and Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg and their teams for connecting with us to discuss items related to foster care and specialized education for K-12. Read the full recap on our blog.

RICHMOND, VA. — Shineforth leaders had the opportunity to meet with Virginia legislators and their staff on our Lobby Day, January 21, to speak in support of critical legislation that impacts youth in foster care. [Pictured at top, from left: Vice President of Community Based Services Deborah Burt...

21/01/2026

Want to learn about the tremendous impact you can make as a foster parent? Watch this great interview with Shineforth's Melissa Linn on ABC 13 - WSET and Living in the Heart of Virginia-LHOV.

If you are wanting to know what it is like to Foster through Shineforth we have the details today. One staff memeber is joinig us

20/01/2026

We're grateful to the thoughtful high school students from St. Catherine's School, who volunteered to spend yesterday's Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on our historic Richmond campus. These kind young leaders organized an inventory of toys and gifts that will benefit some of the children and teens we serve at Shineforth. They sorted, labeled, and prepared the goodies for distribution. Thank you, St. Catherine's, for your ongoing partnership and for multiplying our impact in the community!

17/01/2026

Thank you, Pastor Don Coleman of East End Fellowship, for spending time with us on our historic Richmond campus this week.

Pastor Coleman and his four siblings grew up in Richmond and are foster care alumni. Pastor Coleman was in care from age 8-15 and later served two terms as chair of the City of Richmond School Board. He remains very active in the community.

Shineforth welcomes community groups and faith partners for tours of its campus at 3900 W. Broad St. For more information, contact Shineforth Foster Parent Outreach Specialist Joshua Lewis (pictured right with Pastor Coleman). Joshua can be reached at 804.310.7572 or jlewis@shineforth.org.

15/01/2026

Shineforth is excited to announce a new partnership with the John Randolph Foundation! Thanks to incredibly generous grant support from JRF, we're able to expand our technology and cosmetology programming at Charterhouse School in Richmond. This is a fantastic educational enhancement for our students and will empower them to pursue their professional goals by providing transformational career-exploration experiences. Thank you for your generous support and partnership John Randolph Foundation, and thank you for joining us in building healthy communities and bright futures for children and teens. Pictured from left: JRF Board Trustee Derrick Johnson, Shineforth's Annual Fund Officer Sarah Beam, and Charterhouse School Richmond Principal Saidah Adkins.

15/01/2026

Taking a moment on this Thursday to express gratitude for the individuals at Shineforth who exhibit enthusiasm, passion, and expertise every single day and in service to our mission to be the unwavering champions that every child deserves. Pictured here are leaders from Shineforth's adoption and foster care teams who recently enjoyed a well-deserved team retreat. From left: Carmen, Natalie, Alexa, Denise, Rosemary, Arianne, Robin, Kerry, Pamela, George, Joshua, and Danielle.

07/01/2026

Our Lynchburg team was honored to welcome Mustaches for Kids - M4K Lynchburg and receive their annual donation to Shineforth. Thanks to their generosity, we received $5,000 in support of the children and families we serve.

Pictured here is Tim King of Mustaches for Kids presenting the check to our very own Martha Lee. Thank you, M4K, for your continued commitment to making a difference in our community!

02/01/2026

Many thanks to ABC 13 - WSET and Living in the Heart of Virginia-LHOV for helping raise awareness about the urgent need for foster parents in Virginia. Click the link to hear from Shineforth's Melissa Linn.

Shineforth formerly known as UMFS is keeping the great work going in helping foster parents in their journey! Kaci learned about what they have to offer and how

31/12/2025

Because of you, Shineforth kept moving forward in 2025. Thank you for showing up — this holiday season and every day — for the children and families who need it most.