Posted by: Amy @ 4:07 pm
Four of our Gulf Coast Group Home residents attended a week long summer camp at the Blue Lake Methodist Camp with the youth group from Woodbine United Methodist Church in June, and they had a wonderful time! When they returned, all of our Gulf Coast girls were accepted into a special “youth works” program for the month of July, and they were paid to learn some excellent job skills. The girls attended the three-week program from 8AM to 3PM, Monday through Friday, where they learned how to fill out job applications, be interviewed, use a checkbook, and other valuable realistic job skills. They earned $100 a week for participating and will be opening up their own bank accounts.
Gulf Coast Group Home Supervisor Abbi DuBose said this job skills program “worked out really well because it taught the girls realistic job and living skills” while earning money and keeping them busy during the summer. As a reward, the Gulf Coast Group Home staff hopes to take the girls to the water park for a fun-filled day before school starts back the end of August.
Posted by: Amy @ 3:55 pm
Rev. Lonna Lynn Higgs has been appointed by Bishop Will Willimon to be the new Chaplain of the United Methodist Children’s Home starting in June, 2010. She is a fifth-generation United Methodist pastor and is currently serving as Pastor of Hoover First United Methodist Church in Hoover,
United Methodist Children’s Home President and CEO Steven R. Hubbard says, “We welcome Rev. Higgs to this extension ministry. As our Chaplain, she will serve as a member of our Leadership Team and be responsible for all areas of spiritual growth as it relates to the children and families we serve as well as our staff.”
Rev. Higgs says, “What a privilege to join the Children’s Home Leadership Team as a new era of ministry begins! I look forward to ministry as Chaplain for a diverse and widespread community of children, youth, and staff.”
Rev. Higgs is a graduate of
Rev. Higgs says, “In addition to my first love - ministry with children, I enjoy shaping worship experiences that blend contemporary and traditional elements, interactive teaching, and helping persons of all ages become aware of the connections between mental, physical, and spiritual health.”
Rev. Higgs’ husband, Rev. Lawton Higgs, Jr., is the pastor at
Please join us in welcoming Rev. Higgs to our United Methodist Children’s Home family.
Our Gulf Coast Group Home for girls in Milton, Florida, received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Families First Network at the 6th Annual Child Welfare In-Service Training Conference in May. This award recognizes the Gulf Coast Group Home’s commitment to families in Circuit 1, which is made up of four counties in northwest Florida. Congratulations to our Gulf Coast Group Home on their achievement!
Families First Network of Lakeview (FFN) “represents a partnership with Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) to provide an array of foster care and related services in coordination with network partners.” FFN is the lead agency that subcontracts foster care providers like UMCH in northwest Florida. Our Gulf Coast Group Home and UMCH West Florida Foster Care recently received funding through FFN to purchase approved items for these programs including computers, printers, desks, and carpeting for the girls’ bedrooms in Milton. We are so thankful to receive this additional support from FFN!
Posted by: Amy @ 2:53 pm
Positive mental health is essential to a child’s healthy development from birth. On Thursday, May 6th, National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day will mark its fifth anniversary, as well as a first-time focus on the topic of early childhood. This is a day for everyone to promote the positive development, resilience, recovery, and health needs of youth and their families.
Communities across the country will observe the day with events, youth demonstrations, and social networking campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and increase understanding of the mental health needs of children and their families. The United Methodist Children’s Home activities for Awareness Day will include our children drawing pictures featuring the theme “My Feelings Are a Work of Art.” Some of this artwork will be shown in the 2011 UMCH calendar.
Awareness Day efforts nationwide will encourage the following: integrating mental health into every environment that impacts child development from birth; nurturing the social and emotional well-being of children from birth; and looking for and discussing milestones of a child’s social and emotional development from birth. This special day demonstrates how children’s mental health initiatives promote positive youth development, recovery and resilience. Awareness Day also shows how children with mental health needs thrive in their communities and raises awareness of effective programs for children’s mental health needs.
Posted by: Amy @ 1:47 pm
The Local Church Representative or LCR program is getting a new name. In order to better identify the volunteer as the connectional liaison with our ministry, this position will now be known as the Children’s Home Advocate.
The Children’s Home Advocate is one of our most important volunteer positions. There are 1,500 churches in the two conferences we serve. A proactive and responsive volunteer at the local level is vital to our efforts to get the word out. Your church can appoint someone to be the Children’s Home Advocate who will coordinate events and help tell our stories.
Children’s Home Advocates help us promote mission and giving opportunities, upcoming events and anything related to the work of taking care of children and families in all of our facilities.
The Children’s Home Advocate…
…announces events or mission opportunities
…arranges for visiting speakers
…distributes informational materials
…tells the stories of the children and families we serve
…coordinates special offerings and local fundraising events
…collaborates with other Children’s Home Advocates at nearby churches
Ted Sullivan was a terrific example of the type of energy and dedication this position needs to be successful. Ted was passionate about his work as Children’s Home Advocate for Holly Pond UMC. He had also served in the same position for over 20 years at First UMC of Deltona, Florida, before moving to Holly Pond with his wife Nancy about three years ago.
Being a methodical engineer, Ted created a plan and schedule for White Christmas events at Holly Pond UMC. He showed the UMCH video, put information in the Sunday bulletins, and visited Sunday school classes and UMW groups. On more than one Sunday morning, he stood before the congregation, made a heartfelt appeal and challenged them to pass the previous year’s giving.
When Ted was admitted to the hospital in the middle of the White Christmas schedule this past winter, he inquired daily of visiting family and Pastor Rich Patsios how the White Christmas giving was going. It was a priority to him, so when they passed the previous year’s total, his daughter Karen Iseman said, “He was relieved to know it was done, because it was at the top of his list.”
Before Ted passed away in early January at the age of 82, Holly Pond UMC had given more to White Christmas this year than they had ever given before. Karen said, “It was a wonderful legacy he left.”
To become a Children’s Home Advocate, call our Public Relations and Development Office or check with your minister or missions director to see if your church has appointed a Children’s Home Advocate. If not, volunteer! We’ll get you all the information you need to get started.
If you are appointing a new Children’s Home Advocate for your church, contact the Public Relations and Development Office to let us know who you have assigned to this position. In most cases, the best person for the job is a lay person who can focus his or her outreach efforts on keeping the mission of this ministry on the minds and in the hearts of the congregation.
Ted Sullivan
Posted by: Amy @ 10:02 am
Carrying on the UMCH tradition started by their friend C. A. “Buzz” Carter during the 1920’s or 1930’s, Clyde and Brenda Cork organized their thirty-sixth Annual Buzz Carter Easter Egg Hunt held on Easter weekend. Every UMCH group home from all over Alabama and West Florida came to participate in the festivities at Camp Sumatanga in Gallant, Alabama, making it the biggest hunt yet. Alabaster First UMC (Alabaster, AL), Christ Harbor UMC (Northport, AL), The Beacon UMC (Kimberly, AL), Henryville UMC (Guntersville, AL), and Gardendale-Mt. Vernon UMC (Gardendale, AL) all contributed funds and prizes for the weekend’s events, and dozens of volunteers from these churches also came to help out with the event. A very special guest in attendance was Clyde Carter, son of the Easter Egg Hunt’s founder Buzz Carter, who came in from Florida for the event and spoke to the group. Buzz Carter was a UMCH-Selma alumnus who, as an adult, organized the Easter Egg Hunt at the UMCH Selma Campus for over sixty years and volunteered at
The festivities kicked off Friday night with a lively performance by the Christ Harbor Praise Band.
Just Cooking, a tireless group of volunteers from Christ Harbor UMC, grilled up burgers and hotdogs for everyone, serving about 175 people in all. The sun came out as more games continued on Saturday afternoon with the youth from the attending churches and our group homes competing in events like the egg toss and three-leg relay. Winning UMCH players received pizza dinner gift certificates for their group homes, and all of our UMCH children took home new backpacks filled with toiletries too. Even the Babies First babies received backpacks filled with baby-appropriate toiletries and a stuffed bear toy. It was a fun-filled weekend, and many attendees felt this year’s event was the best one ever. Thanks to all of those who donated their time, money, and energy! Because of you this event was a huge success, and UMCH really appreciates everyone who made it happen!
Posted by: Amy @ 4:37 pm
Our 2009 Satisfaction Surveys came back with excellent results!
The 2009 Resident Satisfaction Survey showed 93% of children placed with UMCH said that UMCH has helped them, and 85% said they would recommend UMCH to another child who could not live at home.
The 2009 Foster Parent Satisfaction Survey showed 100% of foster parents said they are satisfied with the level of support they received from the UMCH staff. 100% also said a UMCH staff member responds quickly when a foster parent has a problem or need, and 100% said they are satisfied with the training they received prior to the placement of a child in their home.
The 2009 Referring Worker Satisfaction Survey showed 98% of workers who referred a child or family to UMCH said they are satisfied with the services provided to that child or family, and 100% of referring workers are satisfied with the competence shown by UMCH staff.
Posted by: Amy @ 4:59 pm
Stephen and Carla Dixon were originally licensed as foster parents in July, 2008. Stephen is part-owner of Dixon Kazek Construction. In the beginning of their foster parenting experience Carla worked part time at the construction company, but has since become a stay at home mom. Carla has a BS degree in Human Development and is licensed to teach K-8 in Special Education.
Carla and Stephen were involved in starting the Calvary Chapel of Gulf Breeze. Carla says she has less energy at the end of the day after keeping up with two small children, but she loves being able to devote her time and energy to her foster children. They have only fostered two children and are in the process of adopting them.
When asked how the children have changed their lives, Carla and Stephen said that, “It has definitely changed our lives for the better. What an awesome responsibility and privilege it has been! I think we find ourselves more often than not being like toddlers, because they make it so much more fun being like them. We are so blessed to have them with us. It is so awesome to have little ones around us all the time. They are so innocent and so precious and have made our house a home. We couldn’t imagine life without them. We sometimes think, ‘Oh, what we would have missed out on if we had said no when we got the call from Tammie about placement.’”
The
Posted by: Jill @ 7:51 pm
Joe and Katie McKinney are two of our newest foster parents! They completed MAPP classes in September and are currently in the process of being licensed.
Joe and Katie are new to the Jay area, moving from Jackson, Alabama, in June of this year. Katie is a full-time mother and Joe is the pastor of the Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church in Jay.
Joe was ordained as a Methodist minister in 1998. Prior to coming to Mt. Carmel, he was the pastor at McCann’s UMC in Jackson, Alabama, for three years.
Katie is a former kindergarten teacher and has worked with children for three years in Bay Minnette. She enjoys music and reading.
Although Joe and Katie do not have children of their own as yet, they have hosted a foreign exchange student from Korea for one year and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Both McKinneys bring a wealth of experience and love to the table. They stated that foster parenting is “taking care of children who are in a situation where parents can’t care for them.” Although the goal is typically reunification, they are willing to give them a safe and loving home until the issues that caused them to enter foster care are resolved.
They are realistic in their expectation that foster parenting can be a “roller coaster ride.”
“We are looking forward to becoming foster parents as well as all the blessings and challenges it will bring,” said Joe.
If you are interested in becoming a foster family, contact us today! 800-239-3575. FIND ANSWERS HERE to frequently asked questions about becoming a foster parent.
Posted by: Jill @ 4:45 pm
On August 12th, a group of 25 young people and three adult youth workers from Woodbine United Methodist Church volunteered at our Milton group home in sunny Milton, FL. These hard working teenagers trimmed bushes, cleared fence lines and mowed the grass. The church sent the group as part of their mission week.
These youth were certainly on a mission. They also cleaned windows, painted an outside door and cleaned carpets. Thank you so much Woodbine UMC for sacrificing your time and energy to make our group home a more beautiful and homey place for the girls living there!
“They were all so helpful and wonderful,” said Milton group home supervisor Abbi Dubose, “and our yard and home look great!”
Posted by: Jill @ 2:25 pm
On Saturday May 23rd Florida Foster Care held a Foster Parent Appreciation Banquet to honor the foster families they recruit, train and service. Ten foster parents along with all of their foster and biological children packed into Ryan’s Steakhouse to enjoy food, felowship, and fun. It was a great time for foster parents to reconnect with one another and share their experiences, successes and challenges.
”Events like this are important because foster parents are able to network and get support from one another,” said Florida Foster Care supervisor Jeanette Smith.
The Florida foster care staff mixed a little business with pleasure by taking the opportunity to train their foster parents. During the banquet parents were trained using a book called ‘The Explosive Child.’ The book was written by Dr. Ross King, who holds a Ph.D in clinical pasychology and has spent many years researching and working with children that have disruptive behavior disorders. He seeks to teach parents to be able to understand and diffuse the anger and defiance of a child.
Posted by: Ashley @ 4:12 pm
With the heat upon us and vacations being planned, the United Methodist Children’s Home would like to extend an offer to help your church this summer!
We can provide a speaker to share about the UMCH while you are on vacation!
Just call the PR & Development office at (205) 951-1978 and provide the date and time and we will handle the rest! It is easy and it benefits a wonderful ministry!
Please call today to help us spread the word about all of God’s children who need our help.
Posted by: Ashley @ 2:56 pm
Odenville, AL - Low Gap UMC enjoyed a beautiful day at their annual yard sale to benefit the United Methodist Children’s Home.
It is the time of year for spring flowers, blooming trees and yard sales!
Members of Low Gap UMC began setting up early Saturday morning for their annual yard sale to benefit the United Methodist Children’s Home.
Peggy Vann, a member of Low Gap UMC, said although they are a small church, “in the past, we have made approximately $2,500 at this yard sale.”
It is a blessing to know how our local churches are helping to support the children year-round. Thank you to the members of Low Gap UMC!
Posted by: Jill @ 11:00 am
Home Sweet Home - Our newest UM Children’s Home is located in Crestview, Florida and will serve up to 24 adolescent children and teens.
God continues to move and guide the United Methodist Children’s Home ministry, as He has blessed us with several incredible opportunities to expand in Florida.
In 2006, Children in Crisis, a non-profit entity founded to raise funds to construct a children’s village in Ft. Walton Beach, sought out the help of UMCH. CIC asked to contract with UMCH because of our established reputation and our proven successes in caring for abused and neglected children. UMCH agreed to help, and obtained a state license to operate an emergency shelter and group home in the newly constructed CIC facilities.
UMCH operated both programs with great success, and upon the expiration of the contract with CIC, UMCH assisted them with obtaining their own license to operate. As of Friday, February 6th, CIC is an independently-operated agency caring for young children.
This transition allows UMCH to expand even further in Florida to reach older children who are much harder to find homes for due to their age and behaviors related to trauma stemming from their childhood. Our newest home in Crestview is set to open in April, and will serve adolescents and teens suffering the pains from abuse and neglect … and in desperate need of a stable, loving and Christ-centered home.
“This will be one of our largest single homes,” said Steve Hubbard, UMCH President & CEO. “We will be able to serve up to 24 children in this home, and give the special loving care that our ministry has traditionally provided.”
The facility is located in a residential area, but very close to schools, medical care, and other services that will be needed for the children living there. Renovations are almost complete, and soon will be fully staffed to serve adolescent-age children with special emotional needs.
Area Methodist churches are already rallying their support around this home. Crestview First UMC has been hard at work, and plans to host an Open House and Shower to help provide the many needs for this home. Also, groups from this mission-minded church are planning to help provide new mattresses for the 24 twin beds needed.
Woodbine UMC is also getting involved. Its motorcycle ministry members, W.O.R.D. (Woodbine Outreach Riding Disciples), have expressed their desire to help decorate at least two of the children’s rooms! And … New Bethel UMC is planning on adopting a room as well!
UMCH is very grateful for all of the love and support we’ve received in the Pensacola District as we follow God’s lead in continuing to grow His ministry to ”the least of these among us” in the Florida region. He has always blessed this ministry through His many servants, and we are faithful that His hand will continue to move people to action in Crestview!
Keep visiting our website to follow the progress of our new home for children, and find out how you can get involved.
Posted by: Jill @ 10:10 am
On June 14, residents from all of our group homes traveled to Selma, AL, for our annual Awards Day celebration. Below are comments from three of the programs that attended.
The Settlement, Headland, AL
On June 14th the staff and residents from The Settlement in Headland, AL, traveled to Selma to attend the annual awards day banquet honoring residents of the Alabama and West Florida UMCH facilities. The Settlement residents had an opportunity to fellowship with peers from other group homes as well as staff members from the main campus.
Residents learned how developing connections with members of the community can prove to be very helpful in the future, especially when seeking employment, community services and assistance when working toward independent living. The young men from The Settlement won several cash awards for answering Bible drill questions before the awards presentations.
Each one of the boys residing at The Settlement were honored and earned at least one award during the presentations. One of our Transitional Living program residents received several honors. Residents also very much enjoyed the luncheon afterwards. The Settlement has long enjoyed a reputation as being highly competitive and this day was no exception.
The Settlement brought home the plaque for earning the most awards the previous year after winning eleven. This year The Settlement earned a total of twelve awards, but surrendered the plaque to the Scottsboro Girls Home who received thirteen.
Gulf Coast Group Home, Milton, FL
The girls from the Gulf Coast Group Home enjoyed awards day program. Chasity was surprised to receive her 2 awards, as was Jade. The 4 girls who received awards were very pleased to be recognized, and enjoyed seeing and meeting others in foster care too. Besides the long drive (6 hours total) it was a nice day for them to see and hear how hard many of the recipients worked to
receive recogniton for their dedication.
Tuscaloosa Group Home
All residents of the Tuscaloosa Group Home attended the Awards Day festivities in Selma. Two residents won awards ranging from Christian leadership to music. All residents enjoyed the day as some residents were given the opportunity to spend time with family or past friends that they have made from other programs.
Posted by: Jill @ 9:52 am
Foster parents of the West Florida Foster Care program ate and enjoyed a picnic hoseted by the United Methodist Children’s Home in thanks for their dedication to the kids we serve. Pictured are (back row, left to right) Tim Gardner, Keith Vinson, James Stevens, Andrea Short, and Lisa Needham, (middle row) Dalen Gardner, Marybeth Slade, Jeff Slade, Jennifer Allen, Patrick Allen, Chasity Stevens, (front row) Pat Vinson, Ken Paxton and Debbie Paxton.
Submitted by Kristin Webb, Program Supervisor for the West Florida Foster Care Program of the United Methodist Children’s Home.
In an effort to show some our thanks for all of our wonderful foster parents, the Gulf Coast Group Home hosted a Foster Parent Appreciation Picnic for the West Florida Foster Care families on May 17, 2008.
We had a great turn out of families and children in our care. The Gulf Coast Group Home residents did a great job of face painting, keeping drinks and food supplied, and interacting with other foster children so their foster children could enjoy their afternoon.
UMCH would also like to extend a thank you to the Women’s Circle/Lunch Bunch of Gulf Breeze, Target of Pace, Tommy and Dawn Sander’s, Carl Rector, Calvin Holtcamp, Sander’s Brother’s Electric, Emerald Coast Entertainment, Pete Moore Chevrolet, Discount Muffler’s and Brakes of Pensacola, and All Pro Tune-Up of Milton for their generous donations which helped make the picnic a success.
Volunteers from 1st UMC of Pace grilled over 150 hamburgers and hotdogs to feed the crowd. The children enjoyed jumping and sliding on an inflatable bouncer as well as playing with bubbles and making crafts.
Our 20 foster families have cared for more than 100 children in the last year. UMCH appreciates everything they do.
Submitted by Abbi DuBose, Group Home Supervisor of Gulf Coast Group Home in Milton, Florida
We had a very busy summer at The Gulf Coast Group Home! We were blessed by many organizations and/or churches sponsoring camps for our girls to go to this summer! There were lots of opportunities to have fun, make new friends, and learn new things as some of the girls attended either Girl Scout camp, Camp Alfa at Blue Lake, Camp Junaluska in North Carolina, and/or went white water rafting at Coker Creek in Tennessee!
They ended the summer by participating with Woodbine UMC Youth week activities, and also completed a week long class at the University of West Florida on designing a web page. Shopping trips, swimming and attending our local professional baseball team games also kept everyone busy, as well as trips to the library, visiting family, and celebrating 4 resident birthdays over the summer.
School has now started and one of our residents is on the swim team, and plans to stay living at the group home even though she turned 18 on Aug. 23!
Posted by: Jill @ 12:16 pm
 Taking Good Care - Kristin Webb, West Florida Foster Care Program Supervisor shows off her program’s award with fellow Children’s Home staff members Susan Simonson, Southwest Regional Director, and Jim Byrum, Chief Programs Officer/Vice President. Florida’s FamiliesFirst Network recognized the Children’s Home’s West Florida Foster Care program as top performer of the quarter at a recent providers meeting. |
On February 25, 2008, The FamiliesFirst Network bestowed its Providers Award upon the United Methodist Children’s Home West Florida Foster Care program. The award recognizes this contracted agency as the highest producer in the foster care area. It notes the program’s outstanding performance and exceptional commitment to the children it serves.
Program Supervisor Kristin Webb accepted the award on behalf of West Florida Foster Care.
“The program is doing great,” Webb said. “Thanks to the tremendous support from local churches and the community, we have been able to serve over 100 children in the last year.”
The award was presented at the FamiliesFirst Network Providers Forum. The foster home program is the first provider to be recognized as The Top Performer of the Quarter.
“They have done an amazing job in recruiting and licensing homes,” FamiliesFirst Network Contract Manager, Sandra Winter said. “It is not the quantity of the homes but the quality that is provided.”
The United Methodist Children’s Home contracts with FamiliesFirst Network to provide foster care services through the West Florida Foster Care program. The program currently has 20 homes licensed with 44 beds available to foster children. “At any given time we are housing approximately 35 children,” Webb added.
In addition to placing very young abused and neglected children in caring foster homes, Children’s Home staff members at the program support and train those foster parents.
An example of this kind of support is a planned Foster Parent Appreciation Picnic. “This will be a wonderful opportunity for foster parents to share with one another and provide the kids a safe place to interact,” Webb said.
Posted by: Jill @ 3:06 pm
Who: All are invited to play
What: Cokesbury United Methodist Church Golf Tournament
Where: Solutia Golf Club, 2365 Old Chemstrand Rd., Cantonment, Florida
When: May 17, 2008, 1:00 PM Shotgun Start
Contact: To register call Cokesbury UMC in Pensacola at 850-476-5818. For more information contact Jim MacNeil at 850-478-4789 or Chris Washler at 850-937-0458.
Click here to download the registration form for this event.
Cokesbury United Methodist Church is inviting all golfers to participate in a tournament on May 17, 2008, to benefit the United Methodist Children’s Home. Golfers will compete at the Solutia Golf Club in Cantonment, Florida.
“This will be the second time we have had a golf tournament to raise money for the United Methodist Children’s Home in Milton,” said Jim MacNeil, member of Cokesbury’s golf committee. MacNeil is referring to the agency’s Gulf Coast Group Home for girls. “We decided on that because they certainly have a need, and it is a local need.”
The committee has been planning golf outings for the last five years but never charged more than cost. Last year they decided to charge a little extra and give it to a good cause. “It is not any more trouble to do this and everyone wins,” MacNeil added.
Last year, 24 golfers participated in the golf scramble. MacNeil hopes to double the participation this year.
Registration fee is $50.00 and the deadline is May 11. There will be a shotgun start at 1:00 PM. Those interested can download a registration form at www.umch.net, or call Cokesbury UMC at 850-476-5818.
The original tournament date of April 5 was rescheduled due to inclement weather. For more information, please contact Jim MacNeil at 850-478-4789 or Chris Washler at 850-937-0458.
The West Florida Foster Care Program would like to extend a sincere thank you for all of the support our program has received.
Our program was contracted to license 30 foster home beds by December 31, 2007. With the support of our local churches and community, we have been able to accomplish our goal 2 months early! We currently have 32 licensed foster home beds in 14 foster homes.
Since May of 2006, two of our families have adopted a total of four children, providing them with a loving home forever. We have served 91 children from Northwest Florida who have been abused and neglected.
We would like to thank those who have donated toys, baby items, school supplies, and clothing as well as those who have assisted us in spreading the word about our program through allowing placement of our yard signs, handing out bulletin inserts, or allowing us to speak to your church or civic group.
We purchased a shed over the summer. We have begun filling it with cribs, car seats, baby items, toys, school supplies, and other items to provide to foster parents as they receive new children into their home.
Your continued support is needed as we continue to grow and develop our program. If you are interested in having us speak to your church or small group, becoming a foster parent, donating items to be utilized by our foster homes, or are interested in becoming a sitter for foster parents, please contact us at 850-995-9600 or toll free at 1-877-286-2432.
Submitted by Kristin Webb
Program Supervisor
West Florida Foster Care
e-mail: wffc@umch.net