United Methodist Children’s Home

UMCH provides residential group homes, foster care, adoption services, and family preservation services throughout Alabama and northwest Florida. Our group homes are a safe haven for abused and neglected children as well as young mothers and their babies with nowhere else to go. In addition to providing food, clothing, and shelter, your gifts allow children to have counseling, sports and enrichment activities, education, and spiritual development… all the things that they need to live productive and wholesome lives.

In our family preservation programs, counseling provides the tools to keep families together and prevent the trauma children experience when removed from their home. When family preservation is not possible, children may enter into our care because they have endured extreme physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Some may have also experienced hunger and homelessness. The psychological toll these experiences have on a child or young adult cannot be measured. Your gifts can help to offset the cost of counseling for a family or psychiatric care for an abused child. Thank you for giving hope to a child.

"I was 13 when I went to live at the United Methodist Children's Home. Growing up there was one of the most positive experiences of my life. Going home talking to them, being loved by them, being cared for by them, it just really changed my whole outlook on what I could be. I appreciate everything that they've done. The United Methodist Children's Home accepted me, they loved me, they gave me everything I needed. It's amazing, and when I think about, it brings tears to my eyes, because they were there in every way possible a person could be. I truly feel like without their support, I would not be the success I am today."

Michael Brown, UMCH alumnus and Alabama A & M faculty member and assistant football coach

"When I had my son, it was scary at first. I did stay with a friend of mine and then she found the United Methodist Children's Home Babies First. It was either the streets or here. I didn't want to do the streets for my son - I had to do better. I wish there were more people want to help mothers who need the help, who need the guidance. It's more of a family than a group home. My son is my world. He is the reason I go to work and school... I want him to have a better life than I wanted for myself. There's days that I come home, I have had the worst day, and I know that there's women here that care, and that's what I love about this program, it's family. Thank you can never cover for the two years they've given me to where I know that I've been safe and secure. I do have to thank God for everything He's given me, the opportunities He's given me. I am ready to move out. I am ready to do this all by myself, on my own."

Amanda, UMCH Birmingham Babies First alumnus

"The (foster parent) training process really prepared us for dealing with some of the situations as foster parents... it made us better parents with our own kids. It's excellent parenting training. The United Methodist Children's Home has been a lifesaver through this whole thing."

Michael and Michelle Schack, UMCH Foster Parents

Residential group home locations in Alabama include Florence, Scottsboro, Tuscaloosa, and Headland. UMCH Babies First locations are in Birmingham and Mobile. UMCH headquarters is located in Montgomery, Alabama, and our foster care and family preservation services have offices in Jasper, Dothan, and Andalusia, Alabama.