127 Place
WHO WE ARE
127 Place believes one of the breathtaking parts of God's heart is God's desire to take care of orphans, vulnerable children and families. We believe we can accomplish more together than we can do alone. Our desire is to see all churches answering God's calling, impacting the lives of vulnerable children, their families, their communities, and the world.
James 1:27
What you should know
The High Points of Us
Our Name
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." -- James 1:27
Our 501c3 non-profit seeks to be the James 1:27 place in the Roanoke Valley by bringing Christian churches together to serve vulnerable children and “widows” in many ways. While we do have ties to international organizations, our work is primarily focused in our surrounding communities. Here are some of the things we do:
We believe in family preservation
Roanoke, VA has the largest foster care population in the state. Too often, children enter foster care not because they are unloved, but because their families lack the resources and support needed to provide a safe, stable home. Neglect is often more complex than people realize. A parent struggling to afford rent, provide a bed for their child, or meet other basic needs may find themselves facing circumstances that put their family at risk of separation. For families already experiencing financial hardship, the difference between stability and crisis can be as simple as having access to practical resources and a supportive community. We believe that financial hardship should not automatically lead to family separation when a child can safely remain at home with the support their family needs.
At 127 Place, we believe the community has a vital role to play in strengthening families. When churches, organizations, and individuals come together to provide practical assistance, encouragement, and meaningful support, families have a greater opportunity to overcome hardship and remain together. Supporting children in foster care is important, but so is working to prevent unnecessary family separation in the first place. Whenever it is safe and appropriate, helping a family stay together is a victory for the child, the parents, and the community.
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We support women
Of course, we will serve men with children as well, but most of the vulnerable families that we encounter are headed by women. Most of these families are living in motels while some are looking for a roof over their heads. Some are fleeing domestic violence; while others are struggling financially, and don’t make enough to pay all their bills. Most also can’t get into an apartment because of their credit score. When a major hurdle confronts them like a car breaking down or illness that results in losing their job, they have no resources to make it through.
We are a CarePortal Community Champion
CarePortal is an online platform that connects struggling families with children to churches who are willing to help. Requests for help are posted by social workers at local departments of social services and other agencies like Total Action for Progress, The Roanoke Rescue Mission, The Blue Ridge Women’s Center, and local school systems. Community Champions fund some of these requests and partner with churches to make the delivery and form relationships with families. 127 Place also hosts a monthly meeting of the CarePortal Active Community on the second Thursday of each month from noon to 1:30. The location moves from church to church, so contact us to get the location for the next meeting!
We provide Trauma Training
Many organizations today say that they are “trauma informed,” but complex developmental trauma is a very difficult challenge to understand and to heal. 127 Place provides training based on the research of Dr. Karyn Purvis, the Christian guiding light for understanding children from hard places. There is a huge need for foster and adoptive parents, teachers, first responders, and just about anyone who works with children and the public to understand the impact of trauma on the developing brain.
We Support the journey of foster care & adoption
One of the central early goals of 127 Place was to help those who choose the often challenging calling to open their homes to vulnerable children. Many people consider the call to foster or adopt; but because of cost, paperwork, fear, and many other factors; most people abandon the idea. We believe it can make a big difference to have people who have walked and are walking the path to help new families overcome the obstacles. We would like to be the 127 Place where families can find that support!
We Partner in Guatemala
The Haven Project is a fledgling program in Guatemala to support children who are leaving orphanages without support. The ultimate goal is to buy property and have a building that will house children leaving orphanages. The Haven will also provide training for these children, so that they will be able to support themselves as they enter adulthood. Of course, they will also learn the spiritual truths that will lead them to an eternity with Jesus! 127 Place provides a place where donations can be made toward those efforts.
