25 Stories of Impact in 2025

Our team met Serene* during a sting operation, where she was identified as a possible survivor of human trafficking. Initially, she didn’t recognize her situation as exploitation, but once One More Child’s Anti-Trafficking Mobile Team began working with her, she began to see the evidence of trafficking in her relationship. She soon identified as a survivor and began working with One More Child on her healing journey.

Through compassionate advocacy, legal support, and trauma-informed care, she cleared the criminal charges that stemmed from her exploitation. Serene’s newfound safety and encouraging legal process allowed her to focus on a new path. With newfound freedom and new goals, Serene decided she wanted to become an advocate for others still trapped in exploitation. Her story is a powerful testament to the life-changing impact of One More Child’s holistic care and to survivors reclaiming their identity.

Read Serene’s full story.

Heather Bryant, One More Child’s Chief of Staff, arrived at work early one morning to get a head start on her day—but before she could make it into the building, she was stopped in the parking lot. “Is this One More Child?” a woman asked Heather, before continuing to share her story. The woman’s name was Hannah*, a single mother walking through a difficult divorce, struggling financially, and down to her last two diapers when she discovered One More Child through our website.

Heather walked with Hannah to the Compassion Center and connected with other members of our team to ensure Hannah’s needs were met. Hannah walked through our Family Market, where she could pick up diapers, wipes, and food at no cost. Our team gathered her information for follow-up support and prayed with her before she left. Reflecting on this experience, Heather shared, “I don’t always get to see our wonderful staff in action providing direct care, but I did today. The Lord had a plan for my early arrival, and it was to do His work for His glory.”

Read Hannah’s full story.

School lunchrooms can hold more than midday chatter and the scent of cafeteria food—they can hold stories that speak volumes about the realities children face every day. In one of these school lunchrooms, a teacher named Lisa noticed two brothers who developed an unusual habit. They would save part of their lunch each day, not out of waste but out of need.

They were rationing their meals, saving food for the weekend, because without the guaranteed free or reduced school lunch, they spent every weekend uncertain when they would get their next meal. But then, something happened that changed this habit. They began receiving Backpack Meals through One More Child’s program, providing food for the weekend to ensure they won’t go hungry. With this certainty, they no longer hoard bits of sandwiches but rather eat their full lunch, providing them the sustenance they need to learn, focus, and grow.

Read the brothers’ full story.

Five-year-old Nayla* found the freedom, support, and encouragement to explore what it means to know God after being placed with a One More Child foster family. After joining the Burton* home, Nayla began asking her foster parents deep questions about faith—salvation, sin, forgiveness—and they lovingly walked alongside her, answering questions and affirming it was her decision to trust in Jesus.

Then one Saturday morning at the breakfast table, Nayla made the decision to accept Jesus as her Savior! The Burtons hope and pray Nayla’s spiritual transformation will reach beyond their home and impact Nayla’s biological mother as well.

Read Nayla’s full story.

When Maya* found herself caring for four children, including her nephew, she faced significant challenges trying to make ends meet. She worked various temporary jobs while pursuing full-time employment, but this created a precarious financial situation for her family. But then, One More Child’s Family Support team connected with Maya and worked with her to provide immediate relief and develop a long-term plan for stability.

As Maya’s immediate needs of food, diapers, and household goods were taken care of, she continued searching for a steady job. She successfully gained stable employment, but this blessing brought new challenges for her to overcome: transportation, a work wardrobe, and childcare. Our team worked with Maya and our partners at the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County to help repair her vehicle, obtain uniform items for her job, and arrange after-school care for her children. Through this comprehensive support, Maya has developed self-sufficiency and confidence in caring for her family.

Read Maya’s full story.

In South Asia, Savings Groups are paving the way for women who were once marginalized and shunned by society to find hope, acceptance, and transformation. This church-based initiative, supported by One More Child, brings together about 10-15 participants, each contributing a small portion of their income, making it accessible to others within the group for use when a need arises. Around 90% of participants are women, often mistreated or looked down upon in society. The Savings Groups offer financial stability, a sense of belonging, and community they likely would not find otherwise.

One woman, Nila*, used a micro-loan from her Savings Group to buy her first gas stove, dramatically improving her ability to cook more efficiently. Another member, Reva,* says that the monthly meetings are a source of hope—not just for financial help, but for the spiritual belonging and dignity she finds in the community. As these women continue to grow and support one another, they are breaking free from cycles of poverty and disenfranchisement, embracing a brighter future filled with promise.

Read more about the Savings Groups in South Asia.

In June, One More Child broke ground on a major expansion of our global headquarters—a campus that has long been a lifeline for children and families facing some of life’s harshest realities. This project in Lakeland, Florida, includes six new homes for single mothers and their children, and the construction of a 20,000+ square-foot “Grounds for Grace” community center.

Despite its sizeable footprint, the success of this expansion won’t be measured in square footage but in the lives forever changed. The new developments will enable One More Child to serve more single moms, foster children, hungry children, trafficked children, and struggling families with trauma-informed and Christ-centered, comprehensive care.

Read more about our Lakeland Campus Expansion.

It was 2 p.m. on a Tuesday, our Anti-Trafficking team received a call from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. The request was urgent. Law enforcement had just rescued a young trafficking survivor and wanted One More Child to immediately connect the youth to our services. Our team sprang into action! We met with the survivor to offer support, explained available care options, and coordinated with the sheriff’s office and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) on placement.

Amid supporting this survivor, another crisis call came in about a client needing immediate assistance with diapers. Our team divided and conquered to ensure they met both requests for support. Then the following day, another client reached out to ask if we could be present for an interview with law enforcement while our team was still assisting with the next steps for the survivor recovered the day prior. We are so grateful for our team members who respond with urgency to meet needs and serve the vulnerable!

Read more stories from our Anti-Trafficking team.

Amy’s* journey to motherhood took an unconventional path when she decided to become a licensed foster parent as a single mom through One More Child. Although she initially imagined caring for younger children, with support from our team, she welcomed 11-year-old Alison* into her home. Alison had experienced trauma involving men and was behind in school, making the placement with Amy, a single mom with a background in elementary education, a perfect match.

In Amy’s home, Alison found safety, love, encouragement, and a space for academic growth. Amy’s church family also wrapped around this foster home, providing meals, babysitting, prayer, and more. This church family collectively answered the call to love and care for Amy and Alison. After a few months in her new home, Alison has begun to thrive academically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Read Amy and Alison’s full story.

At One More Child, we strive to answer any donor offering or request for help with one word: “yes.” We were able to say yes in a big way when we received a call from one of our longstanding partners about a donation of eight semi-truck loads of organic, cage-free brown eggs. This extraordinary donation totaled 388,800 eggs, which we then distributed across our network of local and national partners.

In the end, these eggs reached 27 different ministries and nonprofits, many of which function on limited resources. The support and provision from One More Child allow them to help the vulnerable in their community. Thanks to everyone who played a part in this “egg-cellent” blessing, one more hungry child received nourishment and hope.

Read more about this egg-cellent story.

Madison* was an organized and confident single mother, working diligently in her 26-year career in hospitality, when a mental health crisis disrupted her life and left her struggling to care for her children. She sought help and resources, and after a few weeks of waiting, a One More Child staff member showed up at her door, sharing that she was accepted into our 12-month Single Moms residential program. Madison and her children received safe, secure housing, mentorship, financial and educational assistance, parenting and life skills classes, community support, and spiritual guidance.

During her time in the program, Madison made remarkable progress: she raised her credit score by over 200 points, paid off her debt, and began trauma therapy. Moreover, Madison expressed her gratitude for experiencing God’s love through One More Child. She shared, “[The One More Child team] loved me, listened to my children, and saw me as a valuable person, worthy of wonderful things.” Madison’s future is now defined by stability, peace, and joy found in Jesus Christ.

Read Madison’s full story.

In the Dominican Republic, Lois was one of many fathers in rural communities who faced an agonizing decision: stay with his family and struggle to find work, or leave them behind in search of income. Feeling responsible to provide, he chose the latter and for two years, worked in a garment factory far from home, missing birthdays and bedtime stories.

Then Lois and his wife, Mira, received a house through One More Child, and Lois began to imagine a different life. Lois stepped out in faith and used a small loan to buy a sewing machine and make clothes from home to support his family. This small project slowly transformed into a garment subcontracting business, with Mira, Lois’ brother, and others in the community joining the work. Lois is now supporting his family while staying home and creating jobs in the community. Because he stayed, now other fathers can too.

Read Lois’ full story.

When One More Child’s Anti-Trafficking team in North Carolina first met Rachel,* a survivor of trafficking, she was disengaged from school and resistant to support—two hallmarks of trauma. But after 18 months of persistent, trauma-informed care, Rachel began to thrive. She re-enrolled in middle school, resumed attending classes, and is participating in extracurricular activities.

“Reengaging in education can be a pivotal piece to trauma healing and creating rhythms for a healthy life. We believe this will be pivotal for Rachel,” explained Parker Barnes, North Carolina Team Supervisor for One More Child’s Anti-Trafficking program. One More Child staff and advocates surrounded Rachel with the critical support she needed: education, clothing resources, transportation assistance, and trauma-informed clinical services.

Read Rachel’s full story.

This year, One More Child expanded our reach into the Sooner State! In Oklahoma, we are building a network of partnerships to reach the most vulnerable. One More Child appointed Philip Whitten as Executive Director of Community Impact in Oklahoma to lead with passion, expertise, and a calling to serve those in need.

Our team is working alongside local partners with the support and expertise of Steve and Jackie Green, the McLaughlin Foundation, Stand Together, and a network of providers to help families discover a path to social mobility and self-sufficiency.  Bringing services to Oklahoma is part of our mission to reach even more children with our Christ-centered, transformative care.

Read more about our expansion into Oklahoma.

Holly* and Calvin* Lloyd* were faithfully walking with the Lord, raising their three children, when they felt an unexpected call from God to step into foster care. They became licensed foster parents through One More Child, and shortly after, welcomed 4-month-old baby Dean* into their home. Then they learned he had an 11-year-old sister, Alana,* who was in the hospital due to extensive medical needs. Holly couldn’t explain it, but she felt drawn to Alana, as though she needed to get to her.

Holly and Calvin made the decision to do the difficult work and become a medically licensed foster home so they could welcome Alana as well. The months and years that followed were challenging and complex as they navigated Alana’s medical needs and difficulties in their case plan. However, when the case moved toward adoption, Holly and Calvin knew immediately that Dean and Alana would join their family forever. Though they never could have predicted this path for their lives, the Lloyd family of five officially became the Lloyd family of seven, and Dean and Alana found their forever home.

Read the full story of the Lloyd family.

This summer, leaders from One More Child and ministry partners representing seven countries throughout Latin America gathered in Guatemala for an impactful three-day event focusing on training, encouragement, and fellowship to better serve vulnerable children and families throughout the region. Hosted by Alianza Cristiana para los Huérfanos (ACH), the Latin American branch of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), the event brought together child welfare advocates, faith leaders, and social service professionals from across the region to share best practices and strengthen collaborative efforts.

During the event, One More Child President & CEO Stephen Robert, along with other leaders, met with Guatemalan Judge José Alfredo Aguilar Orellana, who serves as president for the Court of Femicide, to explore collaboration around protecting at-risk women and children. One More Child’s work in the region is ongoing, with feeding programs, community development, and child sponsorship. We look forward to strengthening our connections in Latin America to reach more children in need!

Read more about One More Child’s gathering in Latin America.

For teenagers in foster care, events like homecoming or prom can elicit feelings of disappointment, embarrassment, and sadness when they aren’t able to get the dresses they want or fully participate in the experience. Seeking to address this need, three teenage girls founded a nonprofit called Dress It Up, collecting gently used formal dresses to help other teen girls who couldn’t otherwise afford homecoming or prom outfits. Dress It Up has partnered with One More Child’s Loft 181 many times, but earlier this year, they came to our team with a unique offer.

Cate from Dress It Up had a serendipitous run-in with Diana Meyer, the current United States of America’s Mrs. This meeting led Diana to connect with Loft 181 and plan a day to visit, bringing 65 elegant dresses and providing a fun and meaningful experience for five foster teens. These girls got to try on Diana’s fabulous dresses, twirling and strutting across the boutique, before choosing a dress to take home. Through the generosity of United States of America’s Mrs. Diana Meyer, the passion and ingenuity of the three teens who started Dress It Up, and the dedication and hospitality of Loft 181, five teen girls in foster care were gifted an unforgettable experience that empowered them with joy, strength, and dignity.

Read more about this impactful day at Loft 181.

Palm Garden Village is One More Child’s new Sarasota campus, created to be a place where single mothers and their children can heal, grow, and build a stable future. The village includes eight homes that serve families participating in One More Child’s Single Moms residential program, providing a safe, supportive environment during a critical season of transition.

The vision for Palm Garden Village began with Pat McCarver, whose generosity and heart for vulnerable families sparked its creation. Partnering with One More Child, Pat helped turn a deeply personal dream into reality—one rooted in restoration, dignity, and hope for families in Sarasota.

To recognize the completion of the village, community members, leaders, Palm Garden staff, and Pat and her family gathered to celebrate the life-change that has already begun and will continue to come in these homes. Guests toured the thoughtfully prepared homes and learned the meaning behind the “penny boxes” placed in each one—symbols inspired by Pat’s late husband, Jim, reminding every future resident of God’s love and presence. The story of Palm Garden Village shines as a testament to what God can do through willing hearts, generous hands, and steadfast faith.

Read more about Palm Garden Village and our Sarasota expansion.

When One More Child first met the Goodwins,* they were in crisis. Kim,* a mother of three, was battling a severe medical condition that caused memory loss and seizures, while her father, Henry,* was legally blind. With both adults unable to fully care for the household, 19-year-old Dominic* carried the weight of providing for the family—a heavy burden for such a young man.  Living in Henry’s deteriorating home, the family faced unsafe conditions that forced them to leave. With nowhere to go, the Goodwins became homeless.

The Department of Children and Families learned of their situation and contacted One More Child, leading to our team walking alongside the Goodwins for months to help them find stability. We helped the family secure food stamps, disability services, and—most urgently—safe housing. With ongoing guidance and advocacy, the Goodwins were able to move into their own apartment—a safe, stable place to call home. Today, the Goodwin family isn’t just surviving—they’re positioned to thrive on their own.

Read the Goodwins’ full story.

In a rural town in South Asia, while other teenagers were attending school and preparing for their future, Kima* was just trying to survive. She grew up in extreme poverty, as her parents worked as sugarcane cutters under harsh conditions, and often were forced to leave their children for months at a time. Kima had no other option but to go from door to door, begging for food, and lived with the constant fear of working as a bonded laborer like her parents or being forced into an early marriage—a devastating common occurrence for girls in her community.

But then Kima got connected with One More Child’s feeding program in South Asia. For the first time in her life, Kima had reliable, nutritious meals every day—instilling dignity in her life. With food security, Kima began attending classes regularly and developed an excitement for learning. Now, Kima not only has the resources to achieve success but also hope that a brighter future is possible.

Read Kima’s full story.

Just in time for back-to-school this year, One More Child hosted an event for families in need in the Houston area, providing school supplies and essentials for the upcoming school year. As part of the event, 800 meals were served to children and families—thanks to the generosity of Chick-fil-A and Bubba and Cindy Cathy. Their gift fed every guest and reached additional children and families in need throughout the community.

The two-day event was held at One More Child’s Houston Family Resource Center and the Missionary Village housing complex. Beyond just material support, we are committed to supporting at-risk families in Houston through parenting workshops, mentorship, career guidance, and life skills training.

Read more about this Houston Family Support event.

One of the most beautiful parts of adoption is seeing people who were once strangers become family. For the Millers,* adoption grew their family in more ways than one. Matt* and Ann* Miller began fostering baby Amy,* who had been born prematurely and needed steady, attentive care to grow and thrive. As they nurtured her, they learned that Amy had two older sisters living with their biological uncle, Ian.* Wanting the siblings to stay connected, the Millers built a relationship with Ian, and over time, Matt and Ian built a brotherly bond rooted in trust, communication, and shared love for the children.

Over time, adoption became the path for all three girls: for the Millers to adopt Amy, and Ian to adopt the older girls. During Amy’s adoption hearing, Ian expressed how deeply he had come to trust, bond, and rely, on the Millers. He shared, “When I felt like my world was falling apart, I could call on Matt and he helped me stay calm.” Adoption did not just expand the Millers’ family. It united multiple families together in love and care for children in need.

Read the Millers’ and Ian’s full story.

When Patricia walked into a One More Child parenting class at a church in Columbus, Ohio, she was carrying more than a full diaper bag. As a single mother navigating homelessness, trauma, and untreated mental health challenges, she was willing to do whatever it took to provide a safe, loving future for her 9-month-old son. Through our Single Moms ministry in Ohio, Patricia found a welcoming space to learn, access to essential food and resources, a trusting community, and support to receive mental health care.

As Patrica’s health stabilized, she turned her focus to housing, longing to give her child a place of their own. With guidance from her newfound support system at One More Child, she navigated the complex housing system, kept every appointment, and completed the necessary paperwork—even in the middle of a snowy Ohio winter. After three months of persistence, Patricia and her baby boy moved into their first apartment together. Now, Patricia has hope for her future with support from her new community.

Read Patricia’s full story.

Tessa* was a survivor of human trafficking. Haunted by memories of other victims suffering physical abuse, she was forced into exploitative encounters with men who paid her trafficker, understanding that physical violence awaited her if she refused to comply. This was her past, her present, and she believed it was her future.

But everything changed when she met One More Child’s Anti-Trafficking team after being recovered during a sting operation with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Immediately after her rescue, our team began working with Tessa on a plan for her future, including connecting her to a shelter to meet her immediate needs. During an intake call with the shelter, the manager asked Tessa if she had anyone in her life she could rely on for support. Tessa took a long pause and a deep breath. Then she looked around at our team, and quietly, but confidently said, “I do now.”

Our team will continue to walk alongside Tessa on her road to healing, providing mental health counseling and helping her navigate legal matters related to her trafficking situation. No survivor of human trafficking should ever have to walk alone. Now, Tessa doesn’t have to.

Read Tessa’s full story.

These stories offer just a glimpse of One More Child’s impact over the past year. Last fiscal year, we served 271,193 children and individuals —each with a story of how God moved in their lives through our ministry. There are countless more stories of hope discovered, healing embraced, and transformation experienced.

But as we celebrate these stories of life change heading into the new year, we also remain steadfast in our mission: to reach the one more. There are still children in need, and there is still work to be done. We will continue our mission to serve one more child until there are no more in need. We pray that God continues to bring dedicated partners, donors, and volunteers to join us in this mission—this year and for many years to come.

Together, for one more child.