BigHouse Foundation was founded in 2009 as the dream of two college students to positively impact the world of foster care. After being personally exposed to the needs these children and families have, they knew they could no longer sit back and do nothing. BigHouse now focuses on serving families in two ways, by providing resources and building relationships.
Video interview with our founder and executive director about who we are and what we do.
Our Mission
Our mission is to connect the needs of foster families with the generosity of the community through the love of Jesus Christ. We aim to impact the lives of children in foster care in a positive way through meeting their needs and serving their foster families. We are passionate about advocating for these families and educating the community on the needs of children in the foster care system.
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
Learn more about how we accomplish our mission through our Programs and Events.
“I can’t explain how comforting it is to me as a family court judge to know that children in foster care have the added support of BigHouse behind them. BigHouse does amazing work to help normalize the lives of children in foster care and show them authentic love.”
oUR GOALS
To impact our local foster care community in a positive way.
To provide support that sustains current foster and adoptive families.
To walk alongside foster and adoptive families as they navigate the world of foster care and adoption.
To provide opportunities and experiences of a typical childhood for children in foster care.
To create opportunities for families to build relationships with others in the foster care community.
To advocate for children in the system.
OUR STORY
In 2007, just after my husband Blake and I were married, my parents became foster parents in Lee County. Their experience of foster care, and later, adoption from foster care, opened my eyes to the often-overlooked experiences of children caught in this system. While finishing my undergraduate degree in human development, I recognized my calling to serve foster families by offering community support for their physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Thus began the dream of BigHouse, an organization to meet these needs through the generosity and support of the community.
BigHouse was founded in 2009 and has since grown to serve over 12,000 children in Alabama's foster care system through its various programs and events. While we facilitate these programs, it is through God's faithful provision and the generosity of our community that makes it possible to offer these resources to the families we serve. We are humbled to be part of so many children's lives and look forward to continuing the work we started as young adults.
Looking ahead, we are excited about BigHouse growing in both our reach and our resources. Our vision is for a new, larger BigHouse facility that will give us ample space to not only provide needed resources to our families but will also be a place for building relationships within the foster and adoptive community of East Alabama.
Micah Melnick
Founder and Executive Director