A growing number of U.S. Christians are rethinking their views on orphanages and the care of vulnerable children, but their financial support has yet to reflect those shifting beliefs, according to a new study by the Barna Group in partnership with Faith to Action.
The 2025 study, a follow-up to similar research conducted five years earlier, highlights what leaders describe as a “critical inflection point” in how Christians understand orphan care — and the gap that remains between awareness and action.
Among the most notable findings, 72% of U.S. Christians now recognize poverty as a primary driver of children being placed in orphanages, up significantly from 46% in 2020. At the same time, positive perceptions of orphanages declined by roughly 9 to 10 percentage points, while 90% of respondents affirmed that children thrive best in family environments.
Despite these shifts, financial support for residential care has continued to grow. The study estimates that U.S. Christians now give approximately $4.5 billion annually to orphanages and children’s homes — an increase of $2 billion since the previous survey.
“Beliefs are shifting, but behavior has not yet followed,” Faith to Action said in a statement accompanying the report.
‘Behavior is not following their learning’
Elli Oswald, executive director of the Faith to Action Initiative, said the findings were both encouraging and concerning.
“We are encouraged to see the increase in knowledge regarding important misconceptions that have driven support for orphanages historically,” Oswald told Christian Daily International. “But behavior is not following their learning.”
She noted that while fewer respondents now view orphanages as positive environments, more Christians report financially supporting residential care, with a 9% increase since 2020. Participation in mission trips to orphanages has also remained steady.
“We have assumed that when people know better they will do better,” Oswald said. “But that isn’t playing out yet in the transformation of U.S. Christian donors.”
The study highlights a tension in public perception, with many people continuing to view orphanages as indispensable. About 82% of respondents said they believe orphanages are essential for vulnerable children — even if they are not seen as the ideal solution.
Oswald said many donors are unaware that alternatives exist.
“Donors are likely not aware that there is another solution that works for these children,” she said, pointing to a growing global movement toward family-based care, including reunification with biological families, foster care and adoption.
Faith to Action and other advocates argue that children generally experience better long-term outcomes when raised in families rather than institutions, particularly when poverty — not the absence of parents — is the root cause of separation.
The study also found that emotional motivations play a significant role in giving patterns. The most commonly cited reason for supporting orphanages was that it “makes them feel good,” suggesting that decisions are often driven more by emotion than by evolving knowledge.
“There is growing evidence that people make decisions based on how we feel, not necessarily what we think,” Oswald said.
To close the gap between belief and action, Oswald emphasized the need for ministries and organizations to communicate more effectively about family-based solutions.
“Donors aren’t aware that this is a solvable problem,” she said. “Those working in family-based care can measure and share the results of that work, both qualitatively and quantitatively.”
She added that messaging should avoid shaming donors, instead inviting them to take “another step” that aligns with their existing values.
“There is no need for judgment or condemnation of the generosity of Christians in America,” Oswald said. “But we can invite them to redirect funding to solutions that are more effective for children.”
Churches play key role in shift to family-based care
Churches play a central role in shaping both awareness and action, the study found. The most common way respondents learned about orphanages — and became involved in supporting them — was through their local church.
“Just as churches are leading support for orphanages, they are key in making this transition to family-based care,” Oswald said.
Some congregations have already begun making that shift. LifeMission Church in the Kansas City area, for example, transitioned from supporting orphanages to investing in family-based care after recognizing the limitations of institutional models. Larger churches such as Saddleback Church and Life.Church have also begun redirecting resources toward family-centered approaches.
Oswald said both churches and individual Christians can take practical steps, including supporting programs that strengthen families, asking questions about mission partnerships and focusing mission trips on community-based care.
“Small but significant steps can help change the way we care for orphaned and vulnerable children around the world,” she said.
Faith to Action said the latest Barna findings present a unique opportunity to align growing awareness with meaningful change.
“For those committed to strengthening families,” the organization said, “this is a moment to bridge the gap between what we believe and how we act.”
True religion is…
Christian Daily International previously reported on this issue from the World Without Orphans Forum held in 2024 in Thailand, where speakers highlighted the need to move beyond institutional care and shared practical examples of ministries transitioning toward family-based solutions.
Phil Aspegren, the founder of Casa Viva, a ministry specializing in promoting family-like solutions for children in different countries around the world spoke about the Bible verse in James 1:27 that is frequently quoted in orphan context.
He rhetorically asked: “Is it true or false? True religion is building orphanages.”
“Absolutely not,” he said. “That’s not what true religion is.” Instead, the focus should be on caring for the fatherless child and looking out for his or her best interest. Therefore, Casa Viva’s focus is on changing the thinking of those who lead orphanages to go beyond institutional care.
“We’re helping orphanages realize, ‘We are not an orphanage. That’s not why we exist. Instead, we are an organization that acts in the best interest of children, youth, and families,’” Aspegren explained.
“They can become an agency or a ministry that is more than just the orphanage. We’ve confused what is our goal with our method. Our method is an orphanage, but that’s not our goal. Our goal is to care for children well,” he said, adding that “children’s homes are learning that they can do more than just care for children and families. They can be the solution that is reintegrating children back to biological families.”
