Grandfather Home for Children

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Our History

In 1914, in the small mountain community of Banner Elk, N.C. the Presbyterian minister, Edgar Tufts was working diligently with his local church to establish a home for orphans in the rugged mountain areas, and Grandfather Home for Children was born.

This historic agency functioned primarily as an orphanage until the mid-1900’s. Children coming to Grandfather Home were mostly orphans who would stay for long periods of time. Many came as infants and stayed until graduation from high school or college. It was a self-sustaining farm where the children learned trade skills and assisted with daily chores.

In the 1950’s, needs for an orphanage decreased, partially due to peacetime and advances in medical technology. Instead, children needing care had one or both parents still living; but suffered from abuse and neglect. Not only did these children need a place of refuge but they also required treatment and therapy. Services expanded after 1970’s to focus mainly on the needs of children were classified as “troubled” or abused. Between the 1970’s and early 2000’s, Grandfather Home for Children experienced expansion of services to better meet the needs of children at the time. These expansions included therapeutic services for children who had suffered complex trauma.

In April of 2014, Grandfather Home for Children merged with Barium Springs Home for Children in an effort to have a greater impact in helping children and families across the region. The name chosen for the newly formed, merged organization was Children’s Hope Alliance. This name allows everyone to understand our deeply rooted mission, to provide hope and healing for hurting children and families. The future of Children’s Hope Alliance is bright, our stability lies in our deeply-rooted mission and a willingness to attend to the special needs of each generation.