News from the Rye
House of Hope - $25,000
House of Hope of North Carolina, located in Clayton, received a $25,000 Ray Bryan Award from the Rye Foundation to support its ministry with teenage girls and their families. Since 1998, this Christian therapeutic home, school, and counseling center for girls ages 12-17 has served more than 300 families, emphasizing healing through family participation.
House of Hope provides both residential and outpatient care, offering on-site schooling, counseling, and life skills training to help girls build healthy, productive futures. A defining feature of the program is its requirement for family involvement — because when a teenage girl is hurting, the entire family is affected, and the entire family needs healing.
Mt. Sinai-McCreary Community Center - $10,000
Led by Pastor Dr. Donald Gray, Mt. Sinai-McCreary Community Center in Catawba offers year-round mentoring, tutoring, and educational trips for 65-75 children and youth. Over 16 years, more than 150 students have graduated from college. The program begins as early as age four or five to prevent gang involvement and supports parents in helping their children become productive citizens.
SPARK - $5,000
In 2025 SPARK leaders continued designing and managing cause-driven service opportunities! Each of the 10 summer sessions brought new people with their skills, passions and energy as they worked and served together in Forsyth County, NC and Puerto Rico. Leaders are grateful for partners such as the Rye Foundation who provided meals, supplies and life-changing experiences for youth.
Camp Caraway - $2,000
Camp Caraway is a nonprofit ministry located about eight miles west of Asheboro in the Uwharrie Mountains. Groups of 10 to 250 use Caraway Conference Center, Camp Caraway, and Camp Mundo Vista for retreats, conferences, trainings, camps, and year-round programs. “This year, we were able to purchase a new AED — thank you for making that possible. It’s been a wonderful year of ministry, and we're so grateful for your continued prayers and support.”
All-State Baptist Youth Choir Scholarship - $1,000
The All-State Youth Choir of North Carolina unites high school students (grades 9-12) from across the state for a week of worship, musical growth, and fellowship. The 2025 choir, directed for the first time by alum Steven Thomason, embraced the theme “Always” from Matthew 28:10. Concerts were held at Gardner-Webb University, Lincolnton, Marion, Forest City, Albemarle, and concluded at Ardmore Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. A video of their performance in Marion can be viewed here. Facebook page here.
All-State Choir Celebrates 25 Years
Rye continues scholarship help to students
2024 All-State Youth Choir
The 2024 All-State Youth Choir of North Carolina toured the eastern half of the state during the week of July 14th this past summer. Under the direction of Dr. Aaron Rice, the students once again found a way to prepare beautiful music in only 3.5 days to share in ministry and concert during the latter half of the week. Ministries included historic churches, a children’s home, a senior living center, and countless new relationships made during this unique experience for high schoolers.
From the Board of Directors
John “Warren” Steen III, the Director of the RYE Foundation, unexpectedly left us for his heavenly home on February 26, 2024. Warren continued to serve as a legendary “champion of children” until the end of his earthly life. Warren’s family, friends, and our Board of Directors grieve the loss of his presence, yet we are comforted in knowing he is with our Lord, along with family and friends who have preceded him.
We invite you to read Warren’s obituary, which can be viewed HERE. We can clearly see that Warren approached all of life with what we experienced with the RYE… a passionate focus on family, friendship and faith, laying the groundwork for service and ministry to children and families in great need across our state. Warren’s attention to detail, follow-through, love for people and personal prayer life were hallmarks of his call to serve.
Each September since 2001 Warren has led our Board of Directors in our Champions for Children meeting. Representatives from agencies and groups serving needy children across our state met with us, sharing about their work, along with their needs. We would prayerfully consider all in our following discussion, beginning the process of matching resources with needs. At our December meeting, we would finalize our plan of giving for the year.
We appreciate that each meeting opened and closed with prayer, and this practice prayer continues. We take seriously our responsibility to guide generous donations to those in North Carolina who are working diligently and wisely to help children and youth, guided by the love of God. Following each meeting with passionate leaders from our state seeking support, our board members agree that we have met true “champions for children.” Afterwards our hearts are always filled with a sense of God’s presence and power, as our hearts are deeply touched by those serving on the front line to help children and youth during such vulnerable years of life.
Our board is continuing to meet and follow through with receiving and placing donations at this time. Join us as we pray for God’s guidance for the future. Thank you for sharing our passion for children and youth in our state who need help and support.
Let us all continue to give thanks for Warren and join our hearts in prayer for his wife, Kathy, and their children and grandchildren.
With gratitude,
The Board of Directors of the Rye Foundation
Baptist Association Receives Bryan Award and $25,000 from Rye Foundation
Helping Children – Leaders of the Rye Foundation and New South River Baptist Association met in Winston-Salem at the statewide “Champions for Children” event. Shown are (from left) Warren Steen, Ingram Hedgpeth, Christa Warise, Randy White and Robert Ivey.
FAYETTEVILLE – The New South River Baptist Association has been named as the recipient of thisyear’s Bryan Award by the Rye Foundation in Winston-Salem.
The recognition includes a $25,000 charitable grant, which the Association will utilize to expand its ministries to children in military families.
Dr. Randy White, who has served as Director of Missions since 2002, said the funds will ultimately help children, families, teachers and provide Bibles in Korean, Vietnamese, and Spanish.
Warren Steen, the President of the faith-based Rye Foundation, said the Bryan Award honors the “life and legacy” of Ray Bryan, a Goldsboro businessman and philanthropist who died in 2016 at the age of 84.
“Mr. Bryan believed that God has a plan for every child, “stated Steen, “and that every boy and girl needed positive role models in the home and in the community.”
A total of 109 churches make-up the Association and they are located in Cumberland, Hoke and Sampson counties.