The One Church, One Child of Maryland, Inc. is a private, nonprofit 501 (C) (3)corporation. We work across the state of Maryland to promote adoption awareness and to recruit adoptive families for Maryland's waiting children.

 

The program is governed by a statewide Board of Directors. Volunteer includes an Executive Director,  Outreach Worker and Recruitment volunteer. A network of churches completes our family recruitment team.

 

One Church, One Child is a national minority adoption recruitment program. It was founded in 1980 by Father George Clements in Illinois. Incorporated in September 1988, One Church One Child of Maryland, Inc. (OCOC of MD), has as its mission to promote the adoption of minority children throughout the faith communities in Maryland. OCOC of MD’s mission was achieved through education, recruitment, advocacy, and resource development.  For more than 20 years, OCOC of MD  partnered with the Maryland Department of Human Resources - Social Service Administration to identify adoptive and foster care families. The "core” Program is funded by the United Way of Central Maryland, partnerships, in-kind, contributions from churches, individuals, and private donors.
 

Our primary focus and the priority of our work is finding families for children and providing support to resources parents throughout the state of Maryland. We believe in every child's right to love and permanence and do, therefore, work on behalf of all waiting children.

 

November of every year, One Church One Child begins its annual Community outreach to provide Christmas toys/gifts for our foster care children. Over the past 7 years, OCOCMD has provided gifts/toys/clothes etc. to many of the children in the Maryland Foster Care system.

 

OCOC has a monthly community adoption support group that adoptive, foster, kinship care parents benefit from having the opportunity to share their concerns, questions, and feelings with others who truly understand. Facilitated by one of our professionals—who may also be an adoptive/resource parent–support groups provide the opportunity for parents to problem-solve together, exchange ideas, and provide the camaraderie that can help a person through the most challenging of times. If you are interested please contact Pauline Watson pwatson1@msn.com at or at 410-764-0339.