How We Work

Still Chosen is built around a simple belief: children heal best in the context of safe, loving relationships.

Still Chosen is built around a family-style home model, where children experience stability, belonging, and consistent care through everyday life together. While many organizations serve children through larger residential programs, our focus is on creating a small, relational home environment where healing can happen through consistent relationships.

Life in our home is intentionally designed to look and feel like a family environment: shared meals, laughter, chores, learning new skills, and time to simply be kids.

Children who come to us have often lived in survival mode for years. Many have experienced trauma, exploitation, hunger, and instability. Our goal is to replace chaos with safety, rhythm, and relationships.


Trauma-Informed at Every Level

Every part of our program is guided by trauma-informed care and the principles of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®). Both founders have received TBRI training and apply these principles in daily life with the children. This means we focus on:


Many children entering our home have learned to survive through aggression, withdrawal, or hyper-independence. Rather than seeing these behaviors as “problems,” we understand them as adaptations to trauma.

Our role is to patiently teach new patterns of trust, safety, and belonging.


The First 30 Days: Stabilization

When a child first arrives, the priority is stabilization, not productivity. During the first month we focus on:


Structure is introduced slowly and gently, recognizing that children coming from the streets or unstable environments may have lived without routines for years.


Building Healthy Rhythms

After stabilization, we gradually introduce a balanced rhythm of life that supports emotional healing, learning, and normal childhood development. Our weekly rhythm includes a blend of movement, creativity, learning, life skills, rest, and family connection.

Movement & Physical Activity

Physical movement helps regulate the nervous system and release stress. Activities may include:


Learning & Education

Many children we serve have missed significant schooling. When at all possible, we build learning back slowly through engaging and practical activities in addition to either school enrollment or trade training depending on the individual need. Examples include:


Creativity & Expression

Artistic activities allow children to process emotions and discover talents. Examples include:


Family Life

Healing happens in relationship. Our home is built around shared experiences. Regular rhythms include:


Rest & Reflection

Children who have lived in survival mode often need time to simply be children again. We intentionally include: