CUSTER COUNTY – Over 65 community members gathered inside the Life Fellowship Church gymnasium to celebrate the launch of CarePortal, a growing connection technology, in Custer County.  

When a county is launched, CarePortal is activated and available for agency partners like the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Child Welfare to submit requests to the community and local churches to serve families in need.  

“We believe by working together with our churches, and our agencies through CarePortal, that we’re going to see great things happen for our children and our families in crisis,” 111Project Regional Manager Rita Blumer said. “We’re looking forward to working with you in the months and years to come because we think that together we’re going to create a much brighter future for the children of Custer County.”   

Six churches including First Baptist Church, Liberty Church, Weatherford Church of the Nazarene, First United Methodist Church, Life Fellowship Church of Weatherford and The Edge Church of Clinton were a part of the initial launch – 111Project would love to have many more in the community enroll. 

Custer County has 77 children in foster care as of Mar. 1, according to monthly numbers released by the OKDHS. 

“This is a lot of data,” 111Project Western Oklahoma Director Kristin Langrehr said. “But what we like to say is that every number represents a child, every number represents a life in a story.” 

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 1,000 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 all have that journey of going from awareness to engagement to ownership of this issue,” Langrehr said.    

Andrea Stasyszen, Deputy Director with the Office of Strategic Engagement for OKDHS, works on community and faith-based activities. During the launch, Stasyszen said the partnership will allow the community to come together.   

“So often when we’re serving families, we see that they’re in a situation of isolation,” she said. “And when you’re isolated and finding yourself in this time of crisis and trauma, how awesome is it to know that someone is there and heard about something that you need?” 

Whether it’s providing a car seat, clothes, or paying a utility bill, Stasyszen said these little things make a lasting impact by helping each family be a little closer to reunification or keeping children safe while staying at home.  

“All of sudden, families don’t feel like they’re in isolation,” she said. “They have community and I think that’s the beautiful power that 111Project breeds. Through our partnership with CarePortal, families don’t have to feel alone, and you get a role to play in that.” 

Stasyszen said they have services and plans set up, dedicated staff that work overtime, but they can’t do the work alone. There’s always holes without the communities stepping up to help, she said. 

It is the hope of 111Project that through the local church network being engaged on CarePortal, these children and families will now have even more support through their community.   

Life Fellowship Church Pastor Dakota Marsh said James 1:27 states that true religion is to serve the widows and orphans.   

“That’s a mandate, that’s a command,” Marsh said. “That’s what we’re called to do. God doesn’t call the government to take care of the widows and orphans. He calls us – the Church – to take care of the widows and orphans.”  

Marsh said he felt called to help but didn’t know where to start. He met Blumer last month, learned about CarePortal and immediately wanted to get involved.   

“How can we tangibly help families, help children in need? CarePortal has been the answer,” he said. “I’m really excited about how that’s going to roll out and give us the means – not just to give financially, which we will – but also to be the hands and feet of Jesus and to go out and love on the community and to love on people.”  

Custer is the second county launched in 2023 and is the 42nd county launched in total, which is more than halfway to statewide expansion.  

Okfuskee and Dewey counties are scheduled to launch in April. 

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