Many have passed by the Noyes Home and wondered, speculated, and guessed as to who lives there and why. Myth and truth have become intertwined. Here are some common misconceptions about the Noyes Home:
Myth: The Noyes Home is an orphanage.
While a small number of children who live at the Noyes Home may be waiting for foster care, the home is NOT an orphanage. Most children who live there have two parents who live nearby. Their parents are preparing a better home life for their children so that they can come home and live with them as soon as possible.
Myth: The Noyes Home only helps children.
Social workers, therapists, and other Noyes Home staff members give guidance and assistance to parents in order for the parents to more quickly and efficiently get their family back together under one roof.
Myth: The Noyes Home is for juvenile delinquents.
Offering a safe place for children is one of the highest priorities of Noyes Home. The children who live there are normal kids whose family is undergoing a temporary crisis. There are straight-A students and those who have trouble with homework. They are shy, talkative, loving, tall, short, and all are beautiful and each are unique in their own way..
Myth: The Noyes Home mostly has little kids there.
The average age of a child at Noyes Home is seven years old. Children up to the age of 18 can stay there and oftentimes find counselors there that can be role models to positively shape the rest of a teen’s life. A new nursery opened October of 2012 to offer care to infants—a large step in helping to prevent infant abuse and neglect.
Myth: The Noyes Home is funded by the state of Missouri.
The Noyes Home is privately funded through endowment trusts and the generosity of community members. Most families are not able to give much or any money to help with their child’s expenses at Noyes Home. The Noyes Home is truly financed by the loving charity of the community.
Additional Key Facts, at a Glance:
- There is no charge for children to stay at the Noyes Home.
- The Noyes Home is not an orphanage, is not a foster home, and it is not meant to be a center for children with severe behavioral problems or substance abuse problems. It’s a safe place for children while their parents are going through a difficult time – although some children admitted have experienced behavioral challenges at home or school and some are awaiting foster placement.
- Children can stay as long as necessary for the family to get back on its feet. Some stay one or two days; others have stayed as long as two years.
- Parents can bring their child in any time of day.
- Services are kept confidential.
- Children can remain at their regular schools within the St. Joseph School District.
- Referrals to community resources and assistance are offered to parents as they look for solutions to challenges, such as finding employment, eviction or a temporary inability to care for a child.
- The average age of a Noyes Home resident is seven years old. Services can continue until a child is 18 or graduates high school. In October of 2012, the home begins accepting infants for the first time.
- Therapists, counselors, and school tutors are available to help the children who live in the home.
- Community partners offer field trips and enriching activities throughout the year.