Campus Care: Houseparents
Houseparents at Palmer Home play a vital role in creating a safe, loving, and Christ-centered home for children in our care. In this unique residential role, couples work together to provide stability, compassion, and daily guidance at our Hernando Campus—helping each child grow educationally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually through our Whole Child Initiative.
Being a houseparent is a true calling. In this full-time role, couples provide a Christ-centered, nurturing home supported by a like-minded community. Each home is led by a godly husband and wife, giving children a sense of normalcy with school, activities, and church. Houseparents invest in each child’s growth and healing, guiding them toward their God-given purpose.
Meet Our Houseparents
Houseparents offer a loving, stable, and faith-filled home where every child can grow, heal, and flourish. Learn about our amazing couples below!
Rebecca + Charles Martin | 2022
Dana + Mark Hall | 2022
Chelsey + Taylor Griggs | 2022
Take a Look at Our Campus
Surrounded by natural beauty, the Palmer Home campus provides a restorative environment where kids can be kids as they learn, grow and play.
Houseparents live on campus with up to eight children!
Frequently Asked Questions
At Palmer Home, our Houseparents serve as full-time Mom and Dad to up to eight children in their on-campus home—providing the love, stability, and guidance every child deserves. We are deeply committed to supporting them in this vital role by ensuring they have meaningful time with the children, as well as dedicated opportunities for rest and time away.
Up to eight children live in a brick home, with a dedicated Christian couple serving as mom and dad on our campus in DeSoto County, Mississippi. Housing and salary with benefits is included! All of our homes house two children to a room as well as a common safe room. Each home also includes a houseparent suite which provides a space to relax and spend quality time apart from the kids in an effort to support longevity.
Houseparents are supported by the Children’s programs team consisting of the Programs Manager, Case Managers, and others within the Palmer Home organization. Our trainings, alongside the Whole Child initiative, equips houseparents to care not only for the children but themselves. Parents also receive a full salary and benefits.
Our Houseparents come from all walks of life—some with years of experience in completely different careers. What matters most to us isn’t their professional background, but their heart. We seek individuals who feel called to serve Christ by caring for and nurturing children in need, offering love, guidance, and hope to those who need it most.
In most cases, you should expect to care up to 8 Palmer Home children in a cottage not counting houseparents’ own children.
Our homes have kitchens and dining rooms, and as parents, you will be responsible for providing meals for your family, just as you normally would.
Houseparents help their children prepare for their day by ensuring they receive a nutritious breakfast, making sure they are ready for school, and seeing them off for the day.
During school hours, houseparents often meet with Case Managers to plan and assess goals, issues, and concerns , training sessions, make preparations within the home, and may have free time in the afternoon to enjoy many of the amenities on campus.
When the school day is over, houseparents coordinate getting the children to their selected activities, prepare the home meal, help with homework assignments, and mentor through household chores.
Weekend schedules are less structured, allowing our families to enjoy recreational activities such as local events, weekend trips, extracurricular activity events, or quiet time at home. On Sundays, each of our families attend a church of their choosing.
Children will attend local DeSoto County schools or the Palmer School on campus.
Interested applicants can apply by submitting a cover letter including a statement of religious affiliation and a resume to aoleary@palmerhome.org. The application materials will be reviewed by the hiring manager and series of interviews will follow if selected.
