Program promotes adoption

A faith-based group hopes to have 18 families participate.

By CATHERINE E. SHOICHET, Times Staff Writer
Published November 19, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Willie J. Allen, Jr. | Times] "We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I know we'll be able to do it. ... We're doing God's work," said Department of Children and Families Secretary Bob Butterworth.

TAMPA - More than 50 percent of the 200 children awaiting adoption in Hillsborough County are African-American.

But a new faith-based program will help change that, state officials said Sunday.

In the next year, staffers from the One Church, One Child program's new Hillsborough County office will make presentations to dozens of churches and community groups. They hope to recruit 18 families into the program by June 30.

"We are an inclusive program, but we are targeting the African-American community," said Arie Sailor, executive director of One Church, One Child of Florida. "We never have enough families to adopt."

A $150,000 grant from the Department of Children and Families will help fund the pilot program in Hillsborough and Duval counties. If it's successful, other counties across the state could undertake similar efforts to encourage churches to take a greater role in adoptions.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I know we'll be able to do it. ... We're doing God's work," said Department of Children and Families Secretary Bob Butterworth at the program's kickoff celebration Sunday.

Father George E. Clements, who founded One Church, One Child in Chicago more than 20 years ago, pounded the lectern as he preached to a crowd gathered in a Tampa hotel conference room.

"These children do not belong to the federal government. They do not belong to the state of Florida," Clements said.

"These children belong to our community. God expects us to take care of our responsibility, because after all, we were adopted ourselves."

Clements was one of several guest speakers at Sunday's kickoff event, which also included musical performances.

The Middleton High School Ensemble band performed And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going - Jennifer Hudson's famous ballad from the movie Dreamgirls, which includes the lyrics "You're gonna love me."

Then, with cymbals tapping in the background, a singer repeated a refrain, "I'm your child."

Symone, a girl with red, white and blue beads in her hair, jumped out of her seat.

The 4-year-old, who is awaiting adoption, stared at the singer and smiled. She left the room holding a social worker's hand.

Times photographer Ross Mantle contributed to this report. Catherine E. Shoichet can be reached at cshoichet@sptimes.com or 813 661-2454.

Want to help?

For more information about Hillsborough County's One Church, One Child program, call (813) 985-7831.

[Last modified November 18, 2007, 23:37:26]