Churches meet first submitted need within 30 minutes 

SEILING – A Dewey County mother was reunified with her two teenage daughters this spring after completing a 24-week parenting program and attending family therapy. One of her daughters needed extra care, which required long drives and taking days off work – leading to financial instability and a cutoff notice from the electric utility service. 

“Any assistance is greatly appreciated as it will help to maintain the reunification and stability of this family,” the CarePortal request stated. 

An electric bill, two fans and three bath towels were items listed in the first CarePortal request submitted in Dewey County on Thursday – a request that local churches met within 30 minutes of going live.  

CarePortal, a growing connection network managed by 111Project, allows agency partners – like Oklahoma Department of Human Services Child Welfare – to submit vetted needs to the community and local churches to serve families in crisis. 

“No matter what you do as a church – whether you do it once a month, once a week, whether you do it once a year – the awareness and the steps you take to go, ‘I’m going to be the one church that doesn’t skip the foster care adoption program,’” 111Project Regional Manager Rita Blumer said. “‘I’m going to be the one church that helps the foster families and my community.’ That is what is going to solve our child welfare problems.”   

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 one 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. 

Five churches including Harvest Church, Restoration Church, First Baptist Church of Seiling, One Life Church and the Camargo Christian Church were a part of the initial launch – 111Project would love to have many more in the community enroll.  

Churches that attended the launch included Vici Community Fellowship Church, Richmond Country Church, First Christian Church, Crossroads Community Church, Taloga Assembly of God, Camp Creek Church of the Nazarene, and Vici Nazarene. 

Children’s Pastor at Woodward First Assembly Sally Irvin said meeting the needs of family is what God has called Christians to do.  

“You know that what we’re bringing to the table – besides doing what we’re supposed to be doing already – is we’re bringing peace and relief,” she said. “Churches are being allowed, by the state, to go in and minister to people at the deepest point of need. This is something we can all do. This is something we are called to do.” 

111Project Regional Manager Rita Blumer, left, and Children’s Pastor at Woodward First Assembly Sally Irvin, right, share how CarePortal can impact the lives of local families.

Asking for help requires humility and bravery from these families in crisis. Agency partners must receive permission from the family to submit their needs and open themselves to connections within the community.  

Dewey County has 13 children in foster care as of May. 1, according to monthly numbers released by the OKDHS. 

“I have been able to see [CarePortal] in action and see how much it can help and support the children and families in northwest Oklahoma,” OKDHS District Director Sarah Ward said.  

Ward is the District Director for nine counties – including Woods and River Counties where CarePortal is already active.  

“You know, we don’t have a lot of fancy resources,” she said. “But we do have wonderful people with big hearts that want to help each other out. That really can help children get back together with their parents and can help parents make their home safe. That’s really what you all joining CarePortal will help us do. So not only does it help the children and families, but it helps the staff.”  

Ward said she is thankful the churches are joining the effort and rallying around families because DHS cannot do the work alone.   

OKDHS District Director Sarah Ward shared her perspective on CarePortal.

Dewey is the fifth county launched in 2023 and is the 45th county launched in total, which is more than halfway to statewide expansion.  

Grant County launches June 8 and Latimer County launches June 27.  

“The works that are going to last are going to be what we do for those kids,” Irvin said. “So, I’m just encouraging all of us just to listen, because God heard the cry of that child. And He’s calling us to answer it.  

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