Guardian Angels 2018

These are the people and organizations that have made extraordinary gifts to support the work of Methodist Home for Children

Sherry and Jeff Forbes are the parents of four, and they live in Wake Forest. Both are deeply committed to their faith journey and they see their giving as a way of supporting God’s work in the world. In 2005 they made their first gift to Methodist Home for Children. A few years later, Jeff began mentoring a young man who was aging out of foster care. It was a natural connection for him, having grown up in small rural churches and hearing about the work of Methodist Home for Children. His father was a Methodist minister and passed on to his sons a heart for giving back. Jeff’s brother, Joe, founded The Forbes Foundation, which was inducted six years ago into the Guardian Angel Society.


House of Raeford Farms signed on as a sponsor for this event 12 years ago – and thus began a generous record of support for Methodist Home for Children. President / CEO Bob Johnson and his late father, Marvin Johnson, built the business into one of the nation’s 10 largest chicken producers. Along the way, they also built a strong tradition of giving back to the communities where they operate. The Johnsons are members of Rose Hill United Methodist Church and they run House of Raeford as a family enterprise, with four generations working in the business and contributing everywhere from the boardroom to the hatcheries.


White Plains United Methodist Church held its first service in the auditorium of Cary High School in August 1961. The church, like the town, has grown rapidly since then – and today welcomes more than 600 people at three Sunday services – including one in Spanish. Living into its mission as a disciple-making church for Christ, White Plains has supported Methodist Home for years with faithful donations. These have come from the Advent, Pathfinders, and Searchers Sunday school classes – the United Methodist Men and Women – and from congregational offerings. White Plains’ missional focus on children also extends to its five-star childcare center. It opened 35 years ago as one of the first preschools in the country to place children with typical and atypical needs together in the same classroom. The church is proud that Bishop Hope Morgan Ward was one of the leading organizers as a White Plains staff member at that time. Today, the children’s center continues to operate within the church and serves families with expertise and compassion.