Mission Statement

Loving Arms, Inc. is dedicated to providing immediate, safe, and supportive housing for youth ages 12-18 who are runaway, homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, as well as minors who are victims of domestic sex and labor trafficking. We offer a nurturing, trauma-informed environment where children and youth are valued, heard, and given the opportunity to heal. Through holistic, wrap-around services, family reunification, and community collaboration, we empower youth and their families to overcome their challenges and build brighter futures, free from the threat of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Vision Statement

We envision a world where every child and youth, regardless of their circumstances, has immediate access to safe, stable, and supportive housing, ensuring their basic needs are always met. In this ideal world, young people never have to sacrifice their safety or well-being for a place to sleep. We strive for an environment where every child is empowered, and every family is supported, allowing youth to thrive and break free from the cycles of trauma. Our vision is a community where love, safety, and opportunity are available to every young person, and where every child has the right to live with dignity and hope for the future.

Values Statement

• Unconditional Love: We provide genuine, unwavering care to every child, valuing them as individuals and nurturing them through their unique experiences and challenges.
• Safety and Security: We are committed to creating a safe haven where youth can find refuge from danger, neglect, and abuse, where their physical and emotional well-being is protected.
• Family Reunification and Stabilization: We prioritize the healing of families, offering support to both youth and their caregivers, and working toward reunification and long-term stability.
• Collaboration and Community: We believe in the power of working together—youth, families, caregivers, and community partners—creating a network of support to foster lasting, positive change.
• Equity and Access: We are committed to providing equitable access to resources and opportunities, ensuring that all children, regardless of their background, have the tools they need to succeed.
• Hope and Empowerment: We believe in the transformative power of hope. By providing youth with the resources and guidance they need, we empower them to overcome their past experiences and build brighter futures.
• Trauma-Informed Care: We approach every individual with understanding and compassion, recognizing the profound impact trauma has on their lives and providing services designed to help them heal and thrive.

These guiding principles shape every aspect of our work and ensure that Loving Arms, Inc., remains a beacon of hope and a source of healing for youth and families in need. Keep reading to learn about he founder and CEO of LovingArms Inc., Cindy Williams.

Our Founder

Cindy R. Williams is a seasoned organizational development and housing professional with over 40 years of non-profit expertise in working with runaway, homeless and unstably housed minors, young adults and their families. Cindy has 30 years of advanced youth development experience particularly in the field of Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice, and for more than 20 years, she provided emergency shelter to the most vulnerable youth in the state of South Carolina and Maryland.

Today, she has combined her expertise into developing and leading the operations of a growing multi-state nonprofit and two for-profit organization. Through her leadership and guidance, the organization in Baltimore City removes barriers to housing opportunities for the most marginalized youth in our city. This organization, LOVING ARMS, INC., was founded in October of 1999. Cindy was preparing to become a lawyer at that time but gave up that dream to follow what has become her life’s work.

Cindy is the wife of Darroll Cribb, owner of Compassionate Care Services, LLC., an Outpatient Mental Health Center in Baltimore and mother to two children, Joey, a retired Captain from the United States Army and master’s Level Social Worker, and Sharana, a master’s level Clinical Social Worker, State Director and Entrepreneur, both living in South Carolina. She is also the proud grandmother of three amazing grandchildren, JeQuan, Kynnedy and Jediah, who she states keeps her motivated to do this work. She has a graduate degree in Social Work from the University of South Carolina and is licensed to practice in South Carolina and Maryland.