Home > About Us > History of BCHFS

A History of Helping Those Who Need it Most

Baptist Children's Home & Family Services has been caring
for children and families since 1918.

The Children's Home began in response to a need in Illinois to care for dependent children—children who were orphaned as a result of WWI and the great influenza epidemic that struck Illinois.

The Southern Baptists of Illinois had the dream of an orphanage but it was the hard work of 3 local men that made the dream a reality. The pastor of Carmi's First Baptist Church, D.F. Marlin, and two of his deacons—Eben Renshaw and John W. Hall. These men led the charge to raise the money to build the orphanage. John W. Hall was Doug Devore's great-great grandfather.

The Children's Home's ministry has evolved through the years in response to the needs of children and families. In 1948 our name and mission changed from Baptist Orphanage to Baptist Children's Home. With no longer a need to care for orphans, the mission changed to focus on the dependent, neglected and/or abused. In 1995 our name changed again to Baptist Children's Home & Family Services to better reflect that we are more family-focused in our work.

Baptist Children's Home – Carmi

Our residential care program in Carmi has 5 cottages with room for 38 residents at a time. The average length of stay is about 9 months. Many of the children who come to us are struggling behaviorally or have experienced, neglect, abuse, or abandonment. To address this need, we moved from traditional custodial care to a more treatment-oriented form of care. We provide individual, group and family treatment for all of our residents with the goal of returning children to the community, better equipped to deal with life.

> Learn more about BCH Residential Care

Angels' Cove – Mt. Vernon

In the 1970s, in order to address the need to provide care for young women facing a crisis pregnancy and to present them with positive alternatives to abortion, BCHFS opened a residential maternity home in Carmi, named Brooks Clark Maternity Home. However, as a result of the decline in prenatal care in the Carmi area, the home was moved to Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Now known as Angels' Cove, the home provides group care for up to 8 mothers and their children.

Girls coming to Angels' Cove may choose to parent or to form an adoption plan through our licensed adoption agency. Adoption services include domestic adoption through Angels' Cove or international adoption through a partnership with All God's Children International.

Through this office we also provide foster care services for children. This foster care program is a voluntary placement for families in need of temporary housing for their children or for children waiting to join their adoptive family.

> Learn more about Angels' Cove.

Pathways Counseling Services

In 1999, BCHFS founded what has become our fastest growing area of ministry – Pathways Counseling. Believing that families should be strong, healthy, and Christ centered, BCHFS offers a wide range of family-based ministries through its regional Pathways office locations. A team of qualified mental health professionals deals with a broad range of relational and psychological issues with both expertise and Christian compassion. Individuals and families learn how to identify their problems and deal with them in constructive ways.

BCHFS currently has Pathways Counseling offices located in Swansea, Vandalia, Chatham, Edwardsville, Carlinville, Wood River, Harrisburg and Carmi, Illinois.

> Learn more about Pathways.

BCHFS is a private non-profit 501(c)(3) agency operating in affiliation with the Illinois Baptist State Association. BCHFS serves children and families without regard to race, gender or religious preference. Except for some fees related to adoptions, services are provided regardless of a client's ability to pay.

> back to top

BCHFS MISSION STATEMENT:
Providing Christ-centered services that protect,
heal and restore.