Neighborhood Philanthropy: Palmer Home for Children
Oxford is host to some wonderful non-profit organizations that provide for our community in so many ways. We want to provide a glimpse of these organizations each month. Founded in 1895, Palmer Home for Children is a safe home for children in need ages newborn through 24 years old regardless of race, gender or background. Originally founded as a small orphanage, Palmer Home is now a multifaceted ministry that serves hundreds of children and their families each year across four service lines: Campus Care, Family Care, Foster Care and Transitional Care.
Campus Care is the heart of Palmer Home. The Palmer Home campus offers six homes that house 8 to 10 children each, where they live with loving houseparents and receive dedicated support to heal from their trauma, grow and thrive. Family Care offers care for children born to mothers incarcerated. When a pregnant woman is sentenced to incarceration, she has 72 hours or less to decide who will care for her baby after birth. For some women, this decision is easy, but for others, especially those without their partner or family near the prison, it’s full of unknowns. Palmer Home Family Care steps into this gap by providing loving caregivers who care for the baby as their own while mom serves her sentence. Caregivers maintain the biological bond between mother and child and work toward reunification after mom’s release.
Foster Care provides certified foster parents who provide a loving two-parent family to children in need. The average foster youth moves seven times; Palmer Home strives for each child to only have to move the one time and has an extremely high success rate. Further, Palmer Home foster parents are unpaid. Transitional Care works to change the statistics of children who “age out” of the system. In the traditional foster care system, children “age out” once they turn 18 years old – deemed adults, they’re suddenly required to live on their own as independent grown-ups. Without dedicated intervention, the statistics are dismal: 20% of these youth will instantly become homeless; fewer than 3% will earn a college degree; 70% of young women will become pregnant before they turn 21; nearly 60% of young men will be convicted of a crime. With housing for men and women, dedicated houseparents and case managers, Transitional Care helps those ages 18 to 24 navigate adulthood, learn life skills such as how to apply for scholarships and create a budget, and lead healthy, independent lives.
We recently spoke with Kristin Budzak, VP of Marketing for Palmer Home. She shared, “As a privately-funded nonprofit organization, Palmer Home relies entirely on the generosity of its supporters to make its 128-year-old mission possible. Our annual fundraiser, Tailgate for Palmer, has become a beloved annual event that gives back to children in need at Palmer Home. This year's Tailgate for Palmer is a tailgate-style watch party hosted in the Rebels' practice facility, the Olivia and Archie Manning Center. Friends, colleagues, and supporters of Palmer Home will gather to watch the Rebels take down Auburn on one of several big screen TVs while enjoying the best tailgate food and libations, including a specialty cocktail. (Please note the event is for those ages 21+). There will also be a silent auction filled with offerings from the best local restaurants and shops. Tailgate for Palmer is truly a can't-miss celebration in Oxford. Thanks to the Oxford and Ole Miss community, Tailgate for Palmer has raised over $800k for the children in our care.” You can purchase tickets here.
We are so grateful to Palmer Home for Children for providing safe homes, guidance and love for children of broken homes. Be sure to get your tickets for Tailgate for Palmer here. You can also make a tax-deductible donation, including one that may qualify for a tax credit via the Mississippi Children’s Promise Act, by visiting palmerhome.org/donate. To learn about volunteer opportunities, please visit palmerhome.org/get-involved.
