In 1875, our property was purchased from the Dyer family by a group of praying women compelled to remove orphans of the Civil War from the poor houses. The orphanage served children in need for over 100 years.
In 2008, Tim and Kristan MacDonald purchased the property from the Thomas family, who had owned it since 1985.
Tim's late wife, Doreen, had a vision for the property to be used for children again. With his late wife's vision, his second wife's support, and his innate ability to activate people and projects, Tim founded New Oaks Community as a 501(c)3 and renamed the children's home The Father's House.
The Father's House was paid off and renovated under the leadership of Daryl and Roxann Gunnarson, who dedicated their lives to the organization for 11 years.
"They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor." Isaiah 61:3b (NIV)
The name "New Oaks Community" was inspired by the passage in Isaiah 61 where God describes His purpose for the brokenhearted, the captive, the grieving, and the poor. When a seed falls to the ground and dies, it has the potential to become something new and strong.
We want to be a community where growth and life happen in the lives of those who live here and for those who take part in our programs.
The concept of New Oaks Community began as an “adoptive community,” what we call a family of families where multiple families fostering and adopting can live alongside and lean on each other by the nature of community.
In addition to living in community, we use our expansive and historical space to host events and run programs that benefit families offering foster and adoptive care.
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