Tucked away on the northeast edge of downtown Columbia is Coyote Hill’s new local office, housing both employees and gathering spaces for the families they serve. 

Coyote Hill works to provide consistent, supportive foster care services across five cities in Missouri: Columbia, Hannibal, Harrisburg, Jefferson City and Moberly. Through parent training programs, volunteer events, and a dedicated community of foster care homes, the organization creates “A Safe Place to Be a Child” for foster children. 

As of 2025, the organization has provided “A Safe Place to Be a Child” for 386 children over its 33 years of operation. SuretyBonds.com is proud to partner with Coyote Hill, and we’re excited to highlight how they are impacting the foster care system in our local community. 

What Is “A Safe Place to Be a Child?”

In 1991, founders Larry and Cathy McDaniel started Coyote Hill Christian Children’s Home in their own house. The first community foster home, named Cathy’s Home in her honor, was later dedicated in 1997. From there, the organization worked to build an entire foster home neighborhood and expand its foster services throughout multiple Mid-Missouri cities. 

Coyote Hill’s slogan, “A Safe Place to Be a Child,” reflects the organization’s mission and values. It aims to eventually license more families than there are foster children in Missouri.

When asked about the meaning behind their slogan, Development Director Joe Knight noted how it has evolved to emphasize their focus on safety and stability.

“For a while, it was ‘A Place to Be a Child,’ and we thought — that could be more. And so, we decided on ‘A Safe Place to Be a Child,’ because we’re licensing homes all over the state now, and we’re creating safe places for children,” Knight said.

Building Stability Through Training and Support

Nearly all children in the foster system have experienced some form of trauma. “On average, 50% of foster parents give up after their first year. That’s often because of a lack of support and training. It’s hard; you’re bringing trauma into your home,” Knight said. “But, Coyote Hill’s retention rate is 90%. That’s huge for children because it means more stability.”

To achieve this higher retention rate, Coyote Hill provides extensive training and continuing education for families. In addition to events, webinars, and course work, the organization also uses a holistic, trauma-informed model called Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) which focuses on “healing the whole child.” 

Beyond licensing and training, Coyote Hill works to provide ongoing support for foster parents. Through the Family Advocacy Program, every family receives an advocate who provides consistent coaching and mentoring services. This creates stability and ensures families have all the tools they need for success. 

The Hill: A Unique Foster Home Community

25 minutes north of Columbia is Harrisburg, where “The Hill” houses 8 foster homes. This dedicated community provides a safe, supportive environment for Coyote Hill foster parents and children to thrive. 

A lot of children look back on The Hill as some of the most formative times of their lives.

“It’s a neighborhood of like-minded parents who want to give children safe homes and work together as best they can,” Knight said. “A lot of children look back on The Hill as some of the most formative times of their lives.” The neighborhood is especially designed to support sibling groups: a child is twice as likely to live with their siblings at The Hill than at a traditional foster home. 

The Hill also boasts an equine program, playgrounds, basketball courts, a huge lake, a campsite, a baseball field and nature trails. This gives children the chance to heal through outdoor play and time in nature.

Additionally, The Hill hosts after-school and summer programs, plus a 6-week equine program, which is open to all foster and adoptive families. Families can also participate in large community activities, such as field days, annual barbeques, and even a Six Flags trip.

Breaking the Generational Cycle

“The coolest stories, to me, are the children who now have their own families and their children will never see foster care,” Knight said. “For the majority of children in foster care, their parents also experienced foster care. It’s just this cycle that keeps happening. Breaking that cycle is the most rewarding thing to me.”

A Lasting Impact

On average, foster children experience a placement change every 150 days. However, Coyote Hill has achieved an average placement duration of over 2x the national average. 

The organization also plays an integral role in the foster-to-adopt process when reunification with a biological family is not possible. This grants children the stability of a loving, forever home.  

Visit https://coyotehill.org/ to learn more about Coyote Hill’s lasting impact on the foster community in Missouri. 

What Can I Do to Support?

Coyote Hill is continuing to expand, and there are many ways you can help. 

The organization is largely community-funded and has proudly raised over half of the funds to pay off the new Columbia office. However, donations of any size are greatly appreciated to cover the remainder and support continued expansion. They are also always looking for necessities such as diapers, bedding and frozen meals.

“We like to say that not everyone is called to be a foster parent, but everyone can help a child in foster care,” Knight said. “You can dip your toes in the water in a lot of ways with volunteering.”

Not everyone is called to be a foster parent, but everyone can help a child in foster care.

If you’re interested in getting more involved with the foster process, you can become a respite parent or work with the Family Connections Program.

• Respite parents step in to provide short-term relief for foster parents while they handle other obligations or simply take some time away. 
• Family Connections volunteers supervise visits between children and their biological parents and provide observation notes to the Family Support Team. 

Whether you can dedicate time weekly or once a year, Coyote Hill always welcomes volunteers. The Equine program and community events, like The Hill Family BBQ, also benefit from volunteers. You can apply to help with the program that aligns best with you.