Welcome to Blue Ridge Christian Homes

Family-owned and operated household-style healthcare operating with Christian principles to honor and serve the elders of our community.

Bealeton Location Raphine Location

BLUE RIDGE CHRISTIAN HOMES, RAPHINE

The Blue Ridge Christian Homes Story

Founded in 1975, Blue Ridge Christian Homes is a not-for-profit, family-operated, assisted living facility with locations in Bealeton and Raphine, Virginia. Both facilities operate with live-on family oversight.


Founder Clyde Bender, whose family still owns and operates both facilities, was an Amish dairy farmer who, during recovery from a farming injury in 1969, was invited on a missionary trip to Haiti to help feed the poor. After his time in Haiti and with a growing desire to do mission work at home, Clyde returned to the United States. In 1972, he opened a children’s home to care for orphans on the family farm in Stuarts Draft, Virginia. Then in 1975, Clyde opened the Blue Ridge Christian Homes, a home for the elderly, also on the family farm. The elderly and the children lived on the farm with Clyde’s family.

The elders are provided a campus farm setting to live on with a resident household and the environment of crops, animals, and community identity of growth and involvement. This is in contrast to being “housed away,” disengaged from the community.


Clyde’s vision was for his family to reach out and help another family in the community. Therefore, the elder coming onto the campus feels a part of “one family helping another” rather than being admitted to an institution.

The Blue Ridge Christian Homes Locations

Bealeton, VA

Shawn and Katrina Wampler, Clyde Bender’s granddaughter, moved to the Raphine Campus from Western Maryland after marrying in August of 2002. After seven years in Raphine, the Wamplers moved to Bealeton in June of 2009 and have lived on the property and operated the home since that time. They have four children, Isaac 18, Ethan 17, Jordyn 14, and Addison 11.

Raphine, VA

Melvin and Carmina Bender built and have operated the Raphine location since 2001.  Melvin helped his dad open the first location in Stuarts Draft, Virginia in 1975, and then assited with opeing the Bealeton location in 1987.  In 1999,

We’re ready to welcome you home, so call us today!

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