On a recent episode of Growing Up in America: The Way It Is on Houston’s KPFT 90.1 FM, Dr. Leon Battle, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at One More Child, joined hosts Bob Sanborn and Luis Negreros of Children at Risk for a wide-ranging conversation about faith, partnership, and the fight for families in need.
“Every number is a name, every name has a story, and every story matters to us,” Battle said. “We’re able to serve foster children, single moms, trafficking survivors, struggling families, and hungry children.”
That mission, he noted, has deep roots. What began in 1904 as the Florida Baptist Orphanage has grown into an organization that now serves across 19 countries. Last year alone, One More Child served 271,193 children and individuals and provided more than 18 million meals locally and globally.
Dr. Battle’s interview begins at 17:29
Building a Continuum of Care
Battle explained that One More Child’s growth stems from a focus on evidence-based programs and meaningful collaboration. “As we progressed in our services through research and partnership, states began reaching out, asking us to bring our model to their communities.”
In Texas, One More Child’s work has become a lifeline for families in Houston. Through its Family Resource Center, the organization offers parenting workshops, life skills training, job readiness programs, and access to essentials such as food and clothing.
To date, we’ve served nearly 3,000 people through preventative care and provided more than 220,000 backpack meals to children in that area. That impact would not be possible without trusted partners. Battle cited collaborations with Texas A&M University, Baylor University, and the Mike Evans Family Foundation, which have expanded outreach and education around hunger prevention and anti-trafficking.
“For us, it’s not about competition,” Battle said. “It’s about completion — completing the continuum of care.”
When Hunger Hits Close to Home
As the conversation progressed, Battle addressed one of the most urgent issues facing families today: food insecurity. Defined as a “household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food” by the USDA, “There’s a lot of food insecurity that we see in communities,” noted Battle. He went on to say, “Families are often reliant on SNAP benefits and social programs to make sure they know where their next meal is coming from.”
The challenge these families in crisis are facing is that they are often ten or more miles away from a grocery store. And children face an uphill battle to thrive in the absence of vital nutrients needed to grow. That’s why One More Child prioritizes not just providing meals, but also building access to healthy food and nutrition education. “When we build healthy food environments,” Battle explained, “we build healthy families. And when we strengthen families, we change generations.”
Confronting Human Trafficking
Battle also spoke about One More Child’s expanding role in combating human trafficking, calling it both a crisis and a call to action.
“Every two minutes, a child in America is exploited for sex,” he said. “And often, it happens through online platforms and gaming sites.”
To fight this, One More Child has developed a three-part strategy focused on prevention, intervention, and policy. The organization partners closely with law enforcement agencies — from local task forces to the U.S. Marshals Service — to identify, rescue and restore survivors.
In 2024, One More Child participated in Operation We Will Find You, which led to the recovery of 225 missing children nationwide.
The state of affairs in finding a pathway to end exploitation, especially of minors, is that we can’t solve it solely through law enforcement. “It takes awareness, prevention, and community. Awareness really is rescue in disguise,” says Battle.
One More Child’s Human Trafficking 101 and Online Safety courses equip parents, grandparents, and caregivers to recognize warning signs and take protective action.
Seeing Survivors for Who They Were Created to Be
Beyond immediate rescue, One More Child provides “wraparound” services for trafficking survivors — including clinicians, advocates, and survivor mentors — to help rebuild confidence and stability.
Battle stated, “We see survivors not for what they’ve been through, but for who they were created to be.” He went on to explain, “We want them to feel empowered so they can make a difference.”
That empowerment extends internationally. One More Child partners with leaders in the Dominican Republic and Guatemala, working directly with governments to provide family support and combat child exploitation.