Alabama Churches Expand Dementia Support Network
Respite for All links churches to people living with dementia, offering care, community and trained volunteers across denominations
A long-standing need in Alabama’s faith communities is now gaining new life through a widening network of church-based dementia support programs.
Respite for All (RFA), a nonprofit organization formed in Alabama in 2012, has grown from a single ministry into a multi-state network helping people living with dementia and their caregivers. The organization’s model pairs churches with trained volunteers to create safe, supportive environments where social engagement and connection — not clinical care — are the focus, The Alabama Baptist reports.
As of late 2025, RFA reported 65 active respite communities in 18 States, serving more than 1,250 people living with dementia and engaging hundreds of volunteers who logged roughly 500,000 hours of service last year alone, according to co-founder Daphne Johnston.
“We began the ministry so we could give caregivers a break,” Johnston told The Alabama Baptist. “But once we got our friends with dementia together, we discovered they also needed a break from their stressed caregiver and were excited to meet and be with new friends. … That’s how we came up with the name Respite for All.”
The RFA model works through partnerships with churches that provide free meeting space and volunteers, along with activities designed to engage participants’ minds and bodies. Programs typically operate a few hours weekly and are led by volunteers rather than medical staff.
Churches adopting the RFA model receive training in areas such as dementia education, programming and volunteer support. A modest seed grant — often around $10,000 — helps fund a part-time coordinator, and communities set their own participation fees, with scholarships available so no one is turned away.
Johnston said the ministries are rooted in Christian discipleship and community care, noting the early stages of dementia are especially well-suited to group activities and fellowship.
RFA’s expansion includes ministries in both urban and rural settings, and the foundation plans to launch its first Roman Catholic-affiliated ministry in Birmingham later this year.
For pastors and church leaders seeking more information or training to start a local respite site, resources are available through the Respite for All Foundation at https://respiteforall.org.
A 41 minute documentary on Respite For All is available on YouTube and below:
