Community Partners Prayer Breakfast held to bring churches, community in support of children and families

One Church One Child of Florida, in partnership with the Gadsden County School District, held the first annual Community Partners Prayer Breakfast at New Direction Christian Center in Quincy at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 11.

“The purpose of the event is to bring together the faith community and other members of the community, working with the Gadsden County School Board and the Family in Community Office,” said Dr. Arie Sailor of One Church One Child. “We’re looking at supporting families. That’s what we do at One Church One Child. We recruit families for adoption, foster care, and mentoring. We also recruit churches to partner with us in the efforts to identify families, to provide support for our children who are in care, and also opportunities to keep children out of foster care.”

Following an invocation by Reverend Charles Flowers of Friendship AME Church of Chattahoochee, and a blessing of food by Elder Edward Sailor of Celebration Christian Center of Quincy, attendees enjoyed a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, and biscuits. 

Following the meal, community members heard from featured speakers Dr. Arie Sailor, Terrence Watts, Acting Family Well-Being Director of the Florida Department of Children and Families, and Vicki Muse Johnson, Family and Community Engagement Coordinator at Gadsden County Schools.

Reverend Al Williams, Deputy Director of One Church One Child, Delivered a call to action, and Elder Marilyn Barnes, Pastor of New Direction Christian Center, delivered the closing remarks.

The event was sponsored by New Direction Christian Center, Friendship AME Church, the AMB Temple of God, Celebration Christian Center, One Church One Child of Florida, The Gadsden County School Board, Florida Department of Children and Families, and Midway Pallets.

For more information on One Church One Child, or to find out how you can get involved mentoring, fostering, or adopting a child, you can call (850) 414-5620, or visit them at www.ococfl.org or on Facebook. 

Stephen Klein – Gadsden County News Service