Sarah Head, Vice President of Development and Public Relations
Sarah Head, Vice President of Development and Public Relations

Media and Press Contact

If you are a member of the media interested in an interview, or would like more information about our organization and the work we do throughout Louisiana, please contact Ms. Sarah Head, our Vice President of Public Relations and Development.

Vice President, Public Relations and Development
Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services
904 DeVille Lane, Ruston, LA 71270
Phone: 1 (318) 242-4622
Fax: (318) 255-6623
Sarah.Head@LMCH.org

Questions?

Submit a question through our online form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Contact Us

  • 2023 Press Releases

    Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home’s Howard School Designated Exemplar in State Review

    RUSTON, LA – 4/5/2023
    The Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home’s Howard School scored in the highest category during a recent Alternative Education Site Review by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE). Because of Howard School’s high performance, LDOE designated Howard School an “Exemplar” among Louisiana’s alternative schools.

    The Lorraine Nobles Howard Education Center, affectionately known as “Howard School,” is a state-licensed alternative school on the campus of the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home (LMCH) in Ruston. Howard School and LMCH are programs of Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services (LUMCFS), a statewide nonprofit providing an array of children and family services, including residential care at its three Children’s Homes.

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  • 2022 Press Releases

    Tangipahoa Parish President and Economic Development Leaders Tour New Methodist Children’s Home in Loranger

    LORANGER, LA – 5/23/2022
    Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services (LUMCFS) hosted a personal tour recently for Tangipahoa Parish economic development leaders to acknowledge their leadership and encouragement as the non-profit organization constructed the new Methodist Children’s Home of Southeast Louisiana in the parish. The new facility, one of three operated by LUMCFS in Louisiana, provides comprehensive, intensive residential care for children with severe emotional and behavioral needs.

    “LUMCFS is grateful for the strong support of Tangipahoa parish leaders who opened their hearts to our organization and, ultimately, to the children and families we serve,” said LUMCFS President and CEO Rick Wheat in welcoming the group to the new facility. “Your openness demonstrates your concern for the health and well-being of children and families throughout Louisiana.”

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    Stuller Family Foundation Announces Support for
    New Methodist Children’s Home of Southeast Louisiana

    LAFAYETTE, LA – 5/12/2022
    The Stuller Family Foundation has extended its support for children in Louisiana with a $150,000 donation to Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services (LUMCFS), a non-profit organization with a more than 100-year history dedicated to the mental health and overall well-being of children and families.

    The donation is dedicated to support a new classroom, the Stuller Family Foundation Classroom, in the new Methodist Children’s Home of Southeast Louisiana in Loranger. Stuller Family Foundation Executive Director Chuck LaGrange toured the new residential facility recently and presented the donation to Methodist Children’s Home Program Director Marlin Giacona and Sarah Head, LUMCFS Development and Public Relations Director.

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  • 2018 Press Releases

    Angel Tree 2018 Ruston Super Walmart

    RUSTON, LA
    During the Holidays many of us enjoy time with our family around a Christmas tree full of presents. It is a time for celebration and love. The time is magical and full of wonderment especially for a child. Though most children get to enjoy the holidays, there are many children that do not.

    At the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home in Ruston, there are children on campus, in the foster care programs, and who enter care during the holidays that face a Christmas away from their own homes. As part of the Home’s annual Angel Tree Program many of Ruston’s generous citizens retrieved cards hung as ornaments on a special Super Wish Tree at our local Super Walmart. They purchased the gift and delivered it to the Home to fulfill the Christmas wish of each child and accomplished this super heroic mission.

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  • 2017 Press Releases

    Methodist Foster Care Continues Growth Across Louisiana

    June 7, 2017 Ruston, Louisiana – Methodist Foster Care, a ministry of Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home, continues expanding therapeutic foster care services throughout Louisiana. Following a recent radio campaign covering north Louisiana and blanketing the Baton Rouge and surrounding market, Methodist Foster Care is busy developing new homes for Louisiana’s foster children.

    Rick Wheat, President and CEO of Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home, is pleased with the growth to date but reports, “Louisiana’s children need more therapeutic foster homes. We still have much work to do to recruit, train, certify and maintain the number of therapeutic foster homes Louisiana’s children require. I will feel more comfortable after we are able to meet the needs of all who need this service. We need the help of families across Louisiana who are willing to help care for these children.”

    Download press release (PDF)

  • 2015 Press Releases

    Southeast Louisiana Receives Christmas Gift from United Methodists

    December 18, 2015 December 18, 2015, Louisiana – Mr. Robert Temple, Chair of the Board of Directors of Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services signed papers today to acquire 125 acres of land on Highway 445 north of Robert, LA. Temple stated, “I am excited! This land will be the permanent home of Methodist Children’s Home of Greater New Orleans which will fulfill the needs of children and families far into the future.”

    Rick Wheat, President and CEO, said, “We can now take the best of all we’ve done elsewhere in Louisiana and put it on this new property in the Greater New Orleans region. We are excited to end our extensive search for property and I cannot imagine a more appropriate time of year than the Christmas season to do this. We are eager to begin developing the property and constructing facilities to serve the children, families and communities of southeast Louisiana for the next 100 years.”

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    Methodist Foster Care Being Developed by Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home

    October 23, 2015 With a goal of developing across Louisiana the type of Therapeutic Foster Care system which Methodist Children’s Home of Greater New Orleans maintained in southeast Louisiana prior to Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home is, as one staff member said, “bringing Lazarus forth”.

    During coming months, Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services will be updating the policies, procedures and forms of the former program and bringing them to life under a new Child Placing License the organization is seeking from the Department of Children and Family Services.

    Methodist Foster Care’s website is at www.MethodistFosterCare.org, a domain the organization has held for years. As the Methodist Foster Care program is developed, information will be published there.

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    Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home Achieves Second National Reaccreditation

    March 17, 2015 The Council on Accreditation (COA) has announced the reaccreditation of Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home. This announcement follows the organization’s recent reaccreditation by the EAGLE Commission, a separate, faith-based accrediting body.  Rick Wheat, CEO of Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services, shared, “These two back-to-back reaccreditations provide external affirmation of our ministry’s commitment to maintain very high performance standards to ensure the children and families for whom we care receive the highest quality services.”

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    Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home Achieves EAGLE Reaccreditation for All Services in the State

    February 12, 2015 Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home has received reaccreditation by the United Methodist Association’s EAGLE Accreditation Commission. This four year award was granted following an extensive self-study and site visits by reviewers from across the nation. The EAGLE Commission, after reviewing the self-study and the site visit findings, awarded re-accreditation.

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  • 2014 Press Releases

    Plaque Dedication Ceremony Held at Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana

    November 14, 2014 Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana, located in Sulphur, held a Plaque Dedication Ceremony Thursday, November 13. The ceremony was an opportunity for the organization’s staff and administration to honor the many donors who helped make the Home a reality.

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    Sulphur Children’s Home Makes Positive Impact with Clean Financial Audit

    October 20, 2014 – Opened in 2011, Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana is the most modern children’s home in our state. The local children’s home is a ministry of Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services. The Home in Sulphur is one of three United Methodist children’s homes in Louisiana and is part of the larger statewide array of services for children, families and communities provided by the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

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    Methodist Children’s Home Makes Positive Impact with Clean Financial Audit

    October 17, 2014 – In 1904, at the invitation of Ruston’s citizens, the former Louisiana Methodist Orphanage moved from a white frame house in Bunkie, Louisiana, to its permanent home in Ruston. With that move, Ruston became the corporate home for a growing ministry which now provides an array of services to children, families, and communities across Louisiana.

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    34th Annual Golf Classic Supports Methodist Children’s Home

    October 7, 2014, Mandeville, LA – The 34th Annual Golf Classic, benefiting Methodist Children’s Home of Greater New Orleans, was held at Beau Chene Country Club in Mandeville on Monday, October 6, 2014. With 172 golfers playing on both the Oak and Magnolia courses, the tournament was a remarkable success.

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  • 2013 Press Releases
  • 2012 Press Releases

Contact Information

Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home and Corporate Offices
Contact Mr. Rick Wheat
President and CEO
rick.wheat@LMCH.org
Post Office Box 929
Ruston, LA 71273, USA
Phone:  (318) 255-5020
FAX:  (318) 255-6623

Methodist Children’s Home of Greater New Orleans
Contact Mrs. Marlin Giacona
Program Director
marlin.giacona@LMCH.org
23515 Highway 190
Mandeville, LA 70448, USA
Phone:  (985) 626-6649
FAX:  (985) 626-6446

Life Skills Training Centers
Contact Angie Thomas
Director of Life Skills
angie.thomas@LMCH.org
Post Office Box 929
Ruston, LA 71273, USA
Phone:  (318) 255-3717
FAX:  (318) 255-6623

Methodist Children’s Home of Southwest Louisiana
Contact Dr. Steven Franks
Program Director
steven.franks@LMCH.org
3029 North Beglis Parkway
Sulphur, LA 70663, USA
Phone:  (337) 527-5056
FAX:  (337) 527-5367

Outdoor Wilderness Learning Center
Contact Cindy Croft
Director of the OWL Center
cindy.croft@LMCH.org
1523 Hwy 563
Dubach, LA 71235
Phone:  (318) 777-3460
FAX:  (318) 777-9377

Methodist Foster Care
Contact Dana Castine
Vice President of Methodist Foster Care
dana.castine@LMCH.org
Post Office Box 929
Ruston, LA 71273, USA
Phone:  (318) 282-2458
FAX:  (318) 255-6623
RecruitFosterCare.com
MethodistFosterCare.com