On a clear Tuesday morning in mid-June, golden shovels pressed into freshly turned soil on the south side of Lakeland, Florida. But this was more than a ceremonial groundbreaking. Single mothers, city officials, nonprofit leaders, and children whose lives have been impacted by One More Child were all in attendance. They were there to join in a celebration of hope, to commemorate what is possible when an entire community chooses to come together and break cycles of hopelessness.
A Celebration of Hope
One More Child broke ground on a major expansion of its global headquarters — a campus that has long been a lifeline for children and families facing some of life’s harshest realities. The expansion includes six brand-new homes for single moms and a sprawling 23,000-square-foot community hub called the Grounds for Grace Center. Together, these additions represent more than just new buildings. They signal a renewed and urgent commitment to the flourishing of vulnerable families.
“One of the greatest joys of leading this organization is seeing how many people, gifts, and resources come together to make this work possible,” said Stephen Robert, President and CEO of One More Child. “Today wasn’t just a groundbreaking. It was a reminder of what happens when hearts and hands align for something bigger than any one of us…”
A Lifeline for Single Moms
The six new homes will expand One More Child’s Single Moms residential program, which provides a foundation of stability, dignity, and support for women navigating the challenges of parenthood alone. The numbers are staggering: In Polk County, where Lakeland is located, 80% of single-mom households do not earn enough to meet basic needs.
For up to a year, mothers and their children in the Single Moms residential program will live on campus, receiving not only a safe place to stay but also one-on-one mentoring, job-readiness training, parenting support, and spiritual development. We employ an evidence-based model of care, grounded in long-term transformation rather than just short-term relief. Implementing this model, in conjunction with the campus expansion of six new Single Moms homes, One More Child believes we will reach at least an additional 300 mothers and their children over the next five years.
Building the Grounds for Grace
Just steps away from these homes, construction will begin on the Grounds for Grace Center, a two-story, 23,000+ square foot facility designed to serve as the heart of the expanded campus. Here, the organization will offer training for foster parents, life-skills classes, anti-trafficking workshops, tutoring for kids, and spaces for families to gather and grow.
“I often talk about what it takes for communities to flourish. It’s never just one organization or one solution — it’s government, corporations, community, and philanthropic engagement all working together,” said Dr. Jerry Haag, Chief Executive Officer of One More Child Foundation. “That’s exactly what we witnessed today as we broke ground…”
Community-Led, Faith-Fueled
The project reflects Haag’s philosophy of collaboration, made possible through a network of partners. In addition to city leadership — including Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz, who presented a proclamation declaring June 17 as One More Child Day — the expansion is supported by individuals like Tom Chapman, owner of Cornerstone Land Company, whose generosity helped bring the vision to life.
June 17 Is Now One More Child Day!
Lakeland Mayor William Mutz issued a proclamation designating June 17, 2025, as “One More Child Day” in honor of the historic and ongoing contributions of One More Child to the most vulnerable in the community and around the world.
One More Child has been building hope and serving the vulnerable for a long time. For more than 120 years, the organization has served foster children, hungry children, trafficked children, single moms, and struggling families. Last year alone, the ministry provided direct services to 250,259 children and individuals while impacting an additional 143,334 individuals through advocacy, training, awareness, and volunteering. We also provided more than 19 million meals domestically and internationally.
Success Measured in Lives, Not Square Feet
As the overturned dirt from the June 17 ceremony begins to settle, making way for construction and, ultimately, transformation, the true measure of this expansion won’t be in square footage, but in the lives forever changed on these grounds.
Stories like Jennifer’s, a single mother who, with her two children, found a fresh start in the program. Or foster parents who receive training and resources at the Grounds for Grace Center, equipping them to welcome another child into their home. Or a trafficking survivor who rediscovers her worth through trauma-informed care and mentorship.
This has been our guiding force since 1904: Christ-centered services, transformative outcomes, families empowered. That has been—and still remains—our vision!
We embark on this journey with eagerness and expectation, looking to see how God amplifies the mission to serve one more child through this expansion. The best is still yet to come!
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