Over 40 members of the community gathered at the Atoka County Library on Friday to launch CarePortal, a growing connection technology managed by 111Project. 

“I’m excited for the future,” 111Project Regional Manager Jonathan Cox said. “”I’m excited to see what God does through His church to help OKDHS and more children and families.” 

When a county is launched, CarePortal is activated and available for agency partners like OKDHS Child Welfare to submit requests to the community to serve families they are assisting. Six churches including Bentley Baptist Church, Atoka First Baptist Church, Southside Baptist Church, Voca Baptist Church, Atoka Methodist and Blackjack Baptist Church were a part of the initial launch and 111Project would love to have many more in the community.  

Cox said many of the church members in attendance were either current DHS workers or served as DHS workers.  

“They already had a heart for this,” he said. “They came prepared, they knew this stuff, and they know what they’re getting into. Nothing is sugar coated about this – they know exactly the work that it’s going to take. And they’re passionate about helping DHS social workers and families in this area.”  

Partners from the community – including Ameristate Bank in Atoka who sponsored lunch – showed up to support the launch alongside Doug Ishmael from the Evolution Foundation who helped recruit church partners. 

Atoka county has 36 children in foster care as of February 1, according to weekly numbers released by OKDHS. It is the hope of 111Project that through the local church network being engaged on CarePortal that these children and families will now have even more support through OKDHS and the community. 

Cox said the relationship between the churches and DHS workers in Atoka stood out to him. He said they see each other as partners even as extended family.  

“It was really cool to see that because that’s exactly the picture I see of Atoka,” he said. “It’s a really, really cool mindset.” 

Atoka is the first county launched in 2023 and is the 41st county launched in total, which is more than halfway to statewide expansion. 

“We are so excited about the launch of CarePortal in Atoka county,” 111Project Executive Director Chris Campbell said. “Every community’s engagement is needed to solve the challenges of our state in the child welfare system, and we are proud to see Atoka leading the way in 2023. Even when we can’t provide all the foster and adoptive families we need immediately, a community that cares demonstrates to these children and families that there are people who care in their greatest times of need.”  

111Project is a not-for-profit 501c3 with the mission to mobilize the local church so every child has family. The organization’s initial goal is to mobilize 1000 churches across Oklahoma that can serve at least a family a month on CarePortal and recruit and support a foster family every year.  

If 1,000 out of the 6,200 churches in Oklahoma commit to recruit and support one foster family a year, and serve one family a month on CarePortal, the state will move closer to having more than enough help for children and families in crisis.  

“We believe this type of support can move the state from a place where families are waiting on children instead of children waiting on families and the church is the missing piece of the solution” Campbell said. 

Thirteen counties were launched in 2022 – including Haskell, McClain, Hughes, Carter, Okmulgee, Love, Woods, Pittsburg, Ottawa, Comanche, Garvin and Logan. 

111Project Eastern Oklahoma Director Andrea “Dree” Hogue said their goal is to launch one county per month.  

“It feels good to be launching counties after the new year,” Hogue said. “We are excited to see what the churches in Oklahoma do this year!” 

Custer and Choctaw counties are scheduled to launch in March.  

Any churches or individuals interested in learning more or getting involved can visit 111project.org.