Residential (group home, shelter, transitional foster care) services for unaccompanied alien children - lutheran social services of the south, INC

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded Lutheran Social Services of the South, Inc., doing business as Upbring, a cooperative agreement valued at $27.364 million on April 1, 2026, under the Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/Replacement Designee Administered Programs (CFDA 93.566).

Lutheran Social Services operates residential shelter, group home, and transitional foster care facilities for unaccompanied alien children arriving in the United States without parents or legal guardians. The recipient provides temporary care and services including housing, medical care, education, and mental health support; conducts comprehensive sponsor vetting and background checks; and maintains ongoing case management to safely reunite children with vetted sponsors in the least restrictive environment. Work is performed in Texas, primarily across existing multi-location operations including Bokenkamp Children's Shelter in Corpus Christi, New Hope Emergency Shelter in McAllen, and Grace House in McAllen.

The award runs through March 31, 2029, with full obligated funding of $27.364 million. The program supports unaccompanied refugee minors and related care services under the Refugee and Entrant Assistance framework, which reimburses eligible recipients for foster care, youth services, and case management for refugee populations and other entrant groups during their initial resettlement period.

DBA upbring is a federally funded residential shelter program within the office of refugee resettlement (ORR) that provides temporary care and services for unaccompanied alien children arriving in the united states without parents or legal guardians. The program ensures children receive essential services including housing, medical care, education, and mental health support while identifying and vetting suitable sponsors through comprehensive background checks. The primary objective is to safely reunite children with vetted sponsors in the least restrictive environment while maintaining ongoing case management and support services.