Thrive Programming

Building community, one connection at a time.

Support for Families Raising Children with Complex Needs

About Thrive

Young boy with green glasses playing with bubbles, outdoors on a sunny day, with a wooden deck, plastic buckets of water, and a backyard with house and children in the background.

Our story: Founded in 2018 with a simple mission: to create space for foster and adoptive families in Charlottesville and surrounding counties to find connection and support. What started as a few small support groups has since grown into a broader network of care, now including families raising children with a variety of disabilities and offering both virtual and in-person gatherings.

Today: We are fine tuning our programs to better reflect the needs of our families and community. Greater emphasis is being placed on programs that offer child care and caregiver support and our support groups are updated for a more inclusive approach, by bringing together caregivers of children who have complex needs—whether through foster care, adoption, or disability.

“I really enjoyed being able to talk with the other parents on Sunday. It was incredible how much we could all relate even with our different stories. Thank you for providing that space for us to talk and support each other!”
— Support Group Parent

Our Support Services

  • A family of five posing on a park bench during autumn sunset, surrounded by trees with fall foliage, smiling and enjoying their time together.

    Inclusive Support Groups

    A combination of peer-led and guest speakers, a community-based support groups for foster, adoptive, and disability families and caregivers—because we’re stronger together. Accessible support, no matter your location or schedule

    Current schedule:

    When/Where: Currently have different options, depending on what works best for your family! Please feel free to attend any of the sessions!

    In-Person:

    1 x/month Saturday from 4pm-6pm‍, ‍at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Ivy-851 Owensville Rd. Charlottesville
    Guest speakers being confirmed!
    12/5: BCBA joining to discuss managing challenging behaviors.


    Weekday: 9:30am-11:30am that line up with Charlottesville and/or Albemarle teacher work day school calendar when children are off.  Mix of open discussion and exploring specific topics like: foster/adoption, single parenting and more. Location varies.

    These groups include skilled child care and a meal!

    The goal of these groups is to provide a space for families to come as they are, share their highs and lows and find your community!

  • A young boy with wet hair smiling and showing missing front teeth while leaning on the edge of a swimming pool.

    Caregiver Relief Programs

    Respite Care and Parents Night Out
    Child care and fun engaging actviities included during these programs so caregivers can breathe and recharge.

    Respite: Providing brief break for care givers with child care. We are diligently working to expand our team and meet the ever-present need for respite.

    Parents Night Out (PNO): A three hour event where parent’s can drop their children off with our skilled care providers and get a few hours to run errands, go to dinner, or just catch their breath a bit. These nights are either community outings to places like the VA Discover Museum, Smith Aquatic Center, or Camp Holiday Trails. Or activity driven like kids science experiments with UVA LEADS chemistry club, Empowered Players, or the Free Book Bus.

    **We’ve expanded over the mountain" and are now offering at Blue Ridge Children's Museum in Waynesboro as well!

    NEW: Teen Night!
    Must be 12+ to attend

    When: Friday November 13th from 5:30pm-7:30pm

    Where: Lucky Strike! 335 Rivanna Plaza Dr. Charlottesville, VA 22901

    Price: $45 per teen, payment details will be sent out closer to event

    What: we are having our first ever teen night! A chance for teens to hang out with their peers and have fun! The $45 includes, 2 hours of bowling, bowling shoes, dinner & drinks and 1:1 caregiving.

  • A young girl with curly hair smiling while sitting in a wheelchair outdoors on a sunny day, surrounded by trees.

    In Home Care

    This can include recurring weekly care and one-off care.

    Recurring care: Caregivers are matched with a family based on compatibility and availability. Families are matched at the beginning of each season for scheduling alignment.

    In crisis: should a family enter crisis in the middle of a season with respite care needs, the RHI team supports however possible.

Support Group Intake Form

Here’s how you can support Thrive!

Funds support RHI staffing and caregiver costs for respite and support groups and enriching activities and community field trips for the kids during monthly Parents Night Out.

Support Thrive
“Alone, we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
— Helen Keller