Salve Regina: Place of Refuge

Hope for Vulnerable Children | Non-Profit Charity

A Sanctuary of Hope and Healing for Vulnerable Children

At Salve Regina Place of Refuge, we open our hearts and our home to the children the world has overlooked—children who have known pain, neglect, and suffering in their short lives. Founded by Cindy & Jeremy Smith, our non-profit exists for the destitute, the abandoned, and the broken. We are a steady light for children coming from the darkest corners of society, where drug and alcohol abuse, violence, and deep poverty too often define daily life.

Each child we welcome carries a burden no child should bear. They arrive not only hungry for food but starving for love; not only needing safety but longing to be seen. Many have never slept in a bed, never had a warm meal, and never heard words spoken gently to them.

At Salve Regina, we offer more than shelter—we offer a path to healing. With no outside funding, Cindy and a small team have turned their own home into a sanctuary. We provide the basics—food, clothing, a safe place to sleep—and something even more powerful: the chance to believe in themselves again.

Our mission is to repair what has been broken and offer a new beginning to fragile souls. The wounds our children carry are not only physical; the scars of emotional abuse run deep. That’s why therapy—clinical and creative—is at the very heart of what we do. We are fighting for each child’s emotional, mental, and spiritual restoration. And we know we cannot do this alone.

We also confront the unseen barriers. Some of our children were never registered at birth and, on paper, do not exist. Without an identity number, a child cannot enrol in school, access healthcare, or be fully recognised by society. Through generous partnerships with Lawyers for Human Rights and Bowman Gilfillan we fast-track the legal processes that restore identity and dignity—so our children can be seen, learn, get care, and grow.

As much as we give, we know it’s not enough. Our dream is to build a dedicated facility where children can truly thrive: a place where they feel safe, attend on-site school, receive consistent medical care and therapy, and participate in programs that rebuild self-worth. A place to laugh, play, and—perhaps for the first time—just be children.

This dream needs friends. Salve Regina urgently needs support—funding for daily needs, professional expertise from doctors, counsellors, and teachers, and donors who can help secure land and build a fully resourced refuge. Every contribution brings this vision within reach. These children deserve love. They deserve safety. They deserve a future in which they can hope, dream, and flourish. Together, we can make Salve Regina Place of Refuge the sanctuary they need.