One Church, One Child (OCOC) is a program that was created by Father George Clements of Chicago, IL. in 1980 which encourages the religious community to help recruit adoptive parents for children who are out of their natural homes. It is a concept that incorporates the leadership of the religious community with the experience and resources of an adoption agency into a partnership to secure homes for waiting children.

Mahoning County Children Services became a national member of the One Church, One Child program for Ohio on May 17, 2008. On November 8, 2008 MCCSB hosted a National Adoption Celebration Banquet where the One Church, One Child was celebrated and its founder, Father Clements, was the guest speaker.

The Mission:

To provide a safe, caring and loving home for all children in the child welfare system by partnering with the faith-based organizations and churches to recruit families willing to foster and/or adopt.

Four Key Roles:

Agency Recruiter's Role

• Identifies/confirms churches to become involved in OCOC.
• Makes initial contact with the pastor or designated lay leader.
• Becomes familiar with the church's structure, practices and protocol.
• Organizes/disseminates recruitment material.
• Educates the community about the adoption process and dispels adoption "myths".

Pastor's Role

• Endorses the One Church, One Child program and welcomes it into the church.
• Appoints a liaison between the local church and agency recruiters (Church Coordinator).
• Supports the Church Coordinator.
• Makes appeals for adoptive families from the pulpit.
• Uses other opportunities within the church to promote the need for adoptive families.
• Supports the adoptive family once the placement has transpired.

Church Coordinator's Role

• Keeps the need for adoptive families before the congregation.
• Maintains a supply of adoption literature.
• Makes the OCOC display visible and accessible and makes presentations.
• Becomes familiar with the adoption process.
• Coordinates the planning of an annual recruitment activity.
• Remains alert to the recruitment opportunities within the church.
• Collects names, addresses, and telephone numbers of potential adoptive families and relays this information to the appropriate agency staff.

Church Member's Role

• Seriously considers adoption as a way to build his/her family.
• Seriously considers becoming a foster parent.
• Be supportive of friends, family members, congregation members and colleagues who are considering adoption or who are involved in the adoption process.