A Season of Sweet Memories + God’s Faithfulness
As we enter into the cooler weather of Fall, we look back on these past few months at Thornwell, and we have a lot to celebrate. There were milestones, new experiences, hard work, answered prayers, and ordinary summer days that quietly reminded us that God is faithful in all of it.
Every day at Thornwell, we have the privilege of seeing God at work — in moments of healing, in small steps forward, and in the steady presence of caring adults who refuse to give up. For children and families who have experienced trauma, disruption or difficult circumstances, progress doesn’t always happen quickly or look the way we expect. Sometimes, the biggest wins are the ones that might seem small to someone else.
In our Read Right program, Cane was so determined to keep improving his reading that when the official session ended, he asked if he could keep going. With the encouragement of caring adults, he stayed the course and reached his goal.
This summer brought many more reasons to celebrate.
Bentley who was once afraid of the water, began finding confidence in the pool through Momentum — the first in his family to learn to swim. Residential youth made memories and built friendships at Connections Camp. Our Foster Care team is celebrating with Braylee, a teen in one of our Thornwell foster homes, who was baptized with the support of both her foster family and her biological family. Families completed the Strengthening Families program in August, with fathers and grandfathers stepping forward in meaningful ways to invest in their families.
Thornwell served 152,266 Grab N Go meals to children and youth in our community this summer. Last summer, Thornwell served 94,064 meals. We are incredibly grateful for everyone who helped meet the needs of children and families this summer.
As summer ended and kids headed back to school, Thornwell continued to experience God’s faithfulness and the joy of good friends and partners. Community partners and volunteers ensured that our residential students had the supplies they needed to thrive. Foster parents helped kids prepare for what is often a challenging transition.
We Couldn’t Do This Alone
None of these wins happen because of Thornwell alone. They happen by God’s grace.
They happen because people pray. People volunteer. People give. People show up.
They happen because Jane, a retired teacher, and Charlie make sure every kid on campus has the school supplies they need. Because City of Clinton fills backpacks. Because volunteers spend time with youth at summer camp. Because foster families open their homes. Because counselors walk alongside families. Because caring communities believe that better is possible.
For 150 years, God has used faithful people to make Thornwell a place of hope, healing and belonging. This summer was another reminder that we are never alone in this hard and holy work.
As we head into fall, we are grateful for what God has done — and hopeful for what is still ahead. There is good work happening at Thornwell, and there is still so much good work to do.
Join us in celebrating what God has done this summer — and partner with Thornwell as we walk alongside children and families.
*Names and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy.