Lend a helping hand to children in need

ST. PETERSBURG — One Church One Child Churches in the St. Petersburg District Area Young People’s Division (YPD) of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Churches in the West Coast Conference opened their hearts to provide special items that would benefit children in the foster care system.  This event served as a recent mission project for the YTD, whose ages range from 2-26 years old.

The St. Petersburg District Area includes 17 AME churches in Sarasota, Manatee and Pinellas counties and is a part of the 11th Episcopal District’s West Coast Conference. Gilda Williams is the YPD Director for this area and Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Jr. serves as the Presiding Prelate for the West Coast Conference.

One Church One Child of Florida is a faith-based, non-profit 501(C) (3) organization that partners with the Department of Children and Families, churches, community-based care agencies, organizations and businesses to recruit prospective adoptive and foster families and mentors for the children in the foster care system.

LaKay Fayson is the SunCoast Region Recruitment Coordinator for One Church One Child of Florida and Rev. Beverly Hills Lane serves as the President of the State Board of Directors.  They both are also members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The items included books, bibles, toothbrushes, toothpaste, pajamas, combs and brushes and were delivered to Kelly Rossi, director for Eckerd Raising Hope, which is a privately funded program of Eckerd Kids and provides emergency basic need items to children in the foster care system.  They serve foster children in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough Counties.

If you would like to adopt, become a foster parent, mentor, partner or volunteer, please contact LaKay Fayson at (813) 740-0210 or lakay_fayson@ococfl.org. The website for One Church One Child of Florida is www.ococfl.org.