In 1910, Lulu Jackson Williamson saw a need. Women in Monticello were entering the workforce, but there were no safe places for their children. This led her to open a day nursery to help care for the children in her community. When a pair of abandoned twins were left in her care, it was clear: Arkansas needed more than a nursery. It needed a home. By 1923, through Lulu’s persistence and support from the Presbyterian Church, the Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Home for Children was born.

There were few permanent safe havens for children in crisis at the time. What she lacked in guidance, she made up for in faith. “If all other sources of replacement funds prove insufficient, I will simply place a wash tub in the front yard and the Lord will fill it up with money,” she once said.

Each August, Vera Lloyd celebrates Lulu’s Love in Action Day, a tribute to her fierce compassion that continues to shape lives today.

A Legacy That Lives On

Today, Vera Lloyd is a safe, trauma-informed campus for youth in foster care or crisis. Most arrive after years of instability. Here, they find a real home, real care, and real relationships. We welcome siblings so they can stay together. We greet every new resident with a handmade quilt and a Bible. Just like we always have.

You’ll find young people learning how to apply for jobs, saving their first paychecks, taking music lessons, and fishing on the campus lake. No matter where they come from, our youth learn how to care for themselves and achieve their goals. As Lulu intended, we ensure that our residents rediscover what it means to be safe, supported, and seen.

Join Us in Continuing Lulu’s Legacy

Lulu gave so much of her love and energy to children in need. Not because she had to, or because it was her job, but simply because they deserved it. She could not have done that without the support of her community.

Please consider contributing to the betterment of the lives of Arkansas youth today. Your gift supports the programs, staff, and services that make that possible. And this year, your gift will be matched up to $10,000 thanks to a generous donor—doubling your impact.