Celebrating 120 Years at Cumberland
This week, we're celebrating 120 years of Cumberland Youth & Family Services being a safe place to call home for the many we have served over the years and continue serving today. This celebration is a testament to the integral role each of you, our dedicated staff, volunteers, donors, and Cumberland Presbyterian members, has played in our history. Let's look back at our history to understand our roots and how we've become the organization we are today.
Early Beginnings in Bowling Green, Kentucky
In the early 19th century, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was established in the American South. As the church grew in number, so did its needs and desire to care for the vulnerable. As the turbulent 20th century began, the vision of the Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home took shape in 1904 with Miss Victoria Jackson of Bowling Green, Kentucky. In her will, she intently outlined her desire to provide safe housing, support, and care for retired ministers, orphans, and widows.
The Children’s Home was moved from Bowling Green in 1931 due to four memorials received at the 1931 Cumberland Presbyterian General Assembly. During the same time, a legal case unfolded in Texas courts. A deceased Cumberland Presbyterian left a large estate to the “Cumberland Presbyterian Orphans’ Home of Fort Worth, Texas,” which did not actually exist. But, with that gift combined with the other memorials, North Texas became the primary choice for relocation.
Taking Root in Denton, Texas
When the City of Denton officials learned that the Children’s Home might move to North Texas, they made a compelling offer. In 1932, the Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home relocated to Denton, Texas, enticed by a $2,000 contribution by the City of Denton towards a tract of land and structure. They were also drawn by the promise of "elegant churches," proximity to two higher education institutions, access to "the purest artesian water that can be found," and a movie theater. The new location in Denton, Texas, spanned 17 acres and continues to be the home of Cumberland Youth & Family Services to this day.
Abigail, our beloved campus donkey
Over the next 50 years, the Children’s Home experienced a growing organization's typical ups and downs. Still, one thing stayed the same: our unwavering commitment to caring for vulnerable people needing stability, support, and safety, allowing them to heal and grow. This commitment has been the driving force behind our work, inspiring us to start working with the state in the mid-1980s to provide better care for children and young people in foster care.
In the early 2000s, we created our Family Residential Program for resilient single-parent families to help them become more self-sufficient and stable through 12-18 months of residential services on our campus. This growth is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our staff, volunteers, donors, and community members.
Becoming Cumberland Youth & Family Services
In 2021, our Board of Trustees agreed to change our name to Cumberland Youth & Family Services to reflect the breadth and depth of our current programs. This allows us to be flexible, serve all backgrounds, and expand capabilities to broaden our community impact. But even after this name change, the heart of our mission remains unchanged.
Cumberland Today
In addition to our Children’s Residential and Family Residential Programs, today, Cumberland continues to grow to meet the needs of our community.
In 2022, after observing the need for an extended foster care program in Denton County, we established our Supervised Independent Living Program for young adults ages 18-22 who age out of the foster system. This program provides young adults with a safety net of housing and supportive services.
Our Community Counseling Clinic was also established in 2022 after an overwhelming need in Denton County for affordable licensed counselors who serve the underinsured. To date, we have provided over 1,000 counseling sessions to members of our community.
Cumberland Foster Care and Adoption Program Ribbon Cutting
In January 2024, we opened our Foster Care & Adoption Program to recruit, train, license, and support family-based foster and adoptive homes. We currently have six licensed homes, 14 additional homes in the application process, and one adoption so far in our inaugural year.
Cumberland Youth & Family Services’ rich historical roots spanning 120 years provide a foundation that enables us to provide hope and healing for children, young adults, and families impacted by devastating trauma and circumstances beyond their control.
Looking Forward
From our humble beginnings in 1904, Cumberland thrived because of the generosity, care, and support of others. As we often say, we cannot do this work without you. In celebration of our 120th Anniversary, you have the opportunity again to support Cumberland Youth & Family Services.
We are looking for 120 donors to pledge a one-time gift of $120 in honor of this remarkable achievement. If you want to be one of the 120 donors, click the button to donate today. Thank you for your continued support!
This brief history is made possible by an extensive historical endeavor compiled and written by Rev. Dr. Kevin R. Henson and Richard A. Brown entitled: A SHORT POPULAR HISTORY OF THE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHILDREN’S HOME, Presented to the Presbyterian Historical Society of the Southwest in March 2012.
