Every week, the leadership and staff of One More Child come together for prayer and devotion to celebrate the encouraging progress in our ongoing mission to serve vulnerable children and struggling families, all for the glory of God.
Here is a glimpse into the recent good news, activities, and accomplishments at One More Child:
Fire Truck Fun
Through One More Child’s Sarasota Single Moms residential program, moms are building stable, confident futures—and making memories along the way. Recently, a mom and her son experienced a moment they will never forget during one of our weekly life skills classes.
Eliana,* a mom in the program, regularly attends with her son, Tommy,* an energetic toddler who loves anything with wheels—especially fire trucks. The week of his third birthday, the class featured a visit from the Sarasota County Fire Department. A firefighter led a hands-on lesson in fire safety, including teaching the children how to feel the door for fire on the other side. Then families got an up-close look at the truck, gear, and equipment. The children were able to play with the fire hose and explore the fire truck, and Tommy’s excitement could not be contained.
This special day equipped Eliana with practical knowledge while giving Tommy a one-of-a-kind birthday filled with wonder. We are so grateful for our community partners who invest in the children and families we serve!
*Names changed for privacy.
Fortifying Families
When One More Child received additional designated funds for Lakeland Family Support from contract partner The Ounce of Prevention Fund, we leveraged this opportunity to bless our families with a special job preparation and career development event.
Family Support clients received training from One More Child’s HR specialist, Samantha Flament, on building confidence and skills for the job search. The training covered what employers look for, how to build a resume, and how to prepare for a job interview. Then, our team held one-on-one meetings with attendees, providing personalized mentoring, advisement, and prayer. Parents and their teenage children, 14 years or older, attended and benefited from this event.
Participants also had the opportunity to pick out professional clothing for free, provided by One More Child’s Loft 181, and received office supplies to equip their household with employment essentials.
The teens in attendance came to the event with two goals in mind: Get advice on part-time work for the summer and long-term advice for college or careers. Multiple participants shared their education or career goals with our team, which included becoming a pediatrician, playing college football, and attending trade school to become a mechanic.
It is a privilege to walk alongside families on their journey to stability, empowering parents and teens with skills and resources to achieve their goals.
Fighting Exploitation with Awareness
For her high school research project, Anna, a student at Academy of the Holy Names, researched human trafficking and thought One More Child would be a valuable resource to complete the assignment. What she did not know was that the project would cultivate a resolve within her to take action.
Anna interviewed One More Child’s Acting Vice President of Emerging and Prevention Services, Micah Washinski. She hoped to understand the complex problem of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. She asked thoughtful, challenging questions about what was really happening in the Tampa Bay area and how people are responding.
Micah answered her questions and shared how One More Child is providing care, advocacy, and restoration to survivors. She also shared how we are advocating for stronger accountability for buyers, better training for law enforcement and judges, and effective follow-through on laws already in place.
After receiving all this information, Anna didn’t just finish writing her notes and say thank you. Instead, she responded with a simple but valuable question: What can I do?
Upon learning about the reality of human trafficking, Anna felt called to action. Now equipped with awareness, she wanted to join the fight against human trafficking.
Anna partnered with One More Child to pack 10 bundles—bags full of ethnic-friendly hair care products that will be provided to survivors. Nearly half of human trafficking victims are African American women, and traffickers often create dependency through the promise of access to hair care products. Bundles step into this need and provide one less obstacle for victims leaving exploitation.
Anna’s story is a powerful reminder that our passion to care for the vulnerable starts with awareness and then moves to action. We all have a role to play in the fight to stop human trafficking—learn more about joining the fight today.