ROANOKE, Va. – Kids Soar in Roanoke has a new home.
The nonprofit will operate at Windsor Hills United Methodist Church in the city at 3491 Windsor Road as part of a new partnership with the church.
Kids Soar began in 1989 at Trinity United Methodist Church on Mountain Avenue and carried out its vital work there in the heart of Roanoke City until November 2023.
However, Kids Soar faced a challenge when Trinity UMC merged with Greene Memorial United Methodist Church and sold the church building on Mountain Avenue.
While Kids Soar operates a second facility at the Villages at Lincoln in Northwest Roanoke, it needed a new home to serve the children and families who participated at the Mountain site.
“Packed up 35 years of a program that started small and has grown to what it is today and move it all here which is what y’all are going to be able to see,” Executive Director Candace Hess said to a crowd at a dedication ceremony Monday.
The heart of Kids Soar’s mission remains centered on providing comprehensive support to a diverse, economically disadvantaged population in Roanoke City.
Through programs such as the Literacy Initiative and related services, Kids Soar is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty, improving the lives of residents, and enhancing educational opportunities.