Abundantly Loving Foster Children.

Providing Support to Families.

Restoring Dignity to every Child.

About Us

The Ruth Project is a non-profit organization based in Elgin, IL on a mission to end the modern-day orphan crisis. Through donations and volunteering, we abundantly provide resources to foster and adoptive families, setting them up for long-term success. With your support, we can expand our reach and serve more families.

The Crisis

Every 2 minutes

a child is removed from their
home and placed into foster care

Over 50%

of foster families quit
fostering within the first year.

More than 70%

of children with siblings are separated from one or more of them while in care.

Our Mission

The Ruth Project provides foster and adoptive families with the resources, on-going support, and knowledge they need to give long-term love and care to children in need. There are 400,000 children in the U.S. without their families. In 2022, we hope to expand our reach by opening more Ruth Storehouses and growing our team of volunteers. We need your help!

Give Now

All donations fund storehouse operations, provide ongoing support to families, and help expand our future vision for more storehouses.

Volunteer

Volunteer in the storehouse, help at events, or provide rest to families through childcare opportunities.

Donate Items

Drop off new or gently used items to the storehouse. The storehouse is open for drop-offs weekly, Tuesday through Thursday

Your contribution allows us to provide:

Practical Provisions

Our Ruth Project Storehouse is an abundant shopping experience.

Crisp new wardrobes and toys to call their own begin the journey back to hope and dignity for children at The Ruth Project’s boutique-like Storehouse.
Foster families are gifted clothes, toys, and equipment in abundance. As children grow and seasons change, they can come back to shop over and over for any new needs. Families receive immediate and continuous practical relief through The Ruth Project Storehouse. Children begin a new chapter filled with hope and dignity.

Ongoing Support

Long-term support promotes long-term success.

Fostering can be a lonely, hard journey, causing over 50% of families to give up. Our intentional events are opportunities for new friendships both for our children in foster care and their foster families. We provide personal mentoring, training, and a place of refuge. Some of our events include Teen Hangouts, Toddler & Teas, Family Outings, Epic Nights, Dash & Dine Events, and more! Notes of encouragement, prayer, and gift cards are also given with generosity.  

Community Connections

Thriving within communities gives families dignity and hope.

We love children in the foster system well when we rally around them.  We partner with local churches to connect with children and families and share the hope of Christ for eternal impact. In addition, our community partnerships provide experts from lawyers to hairstylists to meet unique needs that otherwise may be overlooked. We abundantly love children by providing care, hope, dignity, and relief through community…through people like you.

Practical Provisions

Our Ruth Project Storehouse is an abundant shopping experience.

Crisp new wardrobes and toys to call their own begin the journey back to hope and dignity for children at The Ruth Project’s boutique-like Storehouse.
Foster families are gifted clothes, toys, and equipment in abundance. As children grow and seasons change, they can come back to shop over and over for any new needs. Families receive immediate and continuous practical relief through The Ruth Project Storehouse. Children begin a new chapter filled with hope and dignity.

Ongoing Support

Long-term support promotes long-term success.

Fostering can be a lonely, hard journey, causing over 50% of families to give up. Our intentional events are opportunities for new friendships both for our children in foster care and their foster families. We provide personal mentoring, training, and a place of refuge. Some of our events include Teen Hangouts, Toddler & Teas, Family Outings, Epic Nights, Dash & Dine Events, and more! Notes of encouragement, prayer, and gift cards are also given with generosity.  

Community Connections

Thriving within communities gives families dignity and hope.

We love children in the foster system well when we rally around them.  We partner with local churches to connect with children and families and share the hope of Christ for eternal impact. In addition, our community partnerships provide experts from lawyers to hairstylists to meet unique needs that otherwise may be overlooked. We abundantly love children by providing care, hope, dignity, and relief through community…through people like you.

Who We Are

Without a doubt, the journey to creating the Ruth Project was divinely planned. Tammy McMahan, the founder of the Ruth Project and foster parent to over 23 children since 2016, opened the first storehouse in November, 2020. But the seeds of this story were planted long before then. Learn more about Tammy and the Ruth Project Team.

"But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish."
Psalm 9:18

Ruth Project Storehouse

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Meal Team

Meals are such a wonderful way to provide instant and practical relief to our families on a hard day (or just a busy one)!

Once you’ve cooked to your heart’s content, choose a date and time below to drop off your meal(s) at The Storehouse in Elgin.

Some details:
- All items in meal must be frozen. We love sides and dessert options as well.
- Kid-friendly and comfort meals are encouraged.
- Please avoid allergies (ie: peanuts, shellfish).
- If you have gluten/dairy free recipes, we also accept those!
- Please attach a separate sheet with details instructions for cooking and recipe (including ingredients)

Thank you!
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Farm Landscape Team

The Farm Landscape Team will help keep The Farm grounds looking beautiful for our families. You are welcome to come anytime within the listed hours!

Routine tasks may include: Weed-waking, weeding, mulching, watering, and gathering flowers for bouquets.

(We are looking for four zero-turn drivers to help mow once a month. If you, or someone you know, would like to help with mowing - please email us below!)

If you have any questions, please email us at Info@RuthProject.com
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Animal Care

Calling all animal lovers!

Love and snuggles from our variety of farm creatures is important to our children. This Animal Care Team will help feed, care for, and train our farm animals.

This includes our donkey, highland cow, chickens, ducks, and pup! Routine care will be assisting in feeding, grooming, and spending time with the animals to ensure friendliness. Training will be provided, no experience necessary.

Thank you so much!
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Greenhouse Care

Do you have a green-thumb?
We’d love your help in keeping the Greenhouse alive!

By assisting us with watering, weeding, planting, and nurturing the flower and salad beds, you will be apart of creating a calm and peaceful place for our foster moms to enjoy!

Don’t worry, we will make sure to provide you with all the instructions you need when you arrive.

Greenhouse Care only needs completed once a day - so you are welcome to come anytime between 9am-6pm (the earlier the better)!
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Family Application Emails

Approved Email - Schedule First Visit

Denied Email