Help OCH kids walk into their 1st day of school with confidence! 

You remember the feeling, right? Setting out your 1st day back-to-school outfit. OCH kids are dealing with a lot of emotional and psychological pressure at no fault of their own. Many of them will be walking into an entirely new school due to be placed in a new home in an unfamiliar city as they navigate living in foster care. Can you make a donation to help ease their transition and help them walk into their first day of school with confidence?

Back to school shoes

The OCH team had a great time learning and connecting at the Family Focused Treatment Association's annual conference, to become better at serving children and families in their most vulnerable moments!

We have new job opportunities!

Are you passionate about helping youth and families in their toughest, most vulnerable moments? We currently have several job openings. Visit our indeed page via the button below to learn more. 

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Have you ever thought of becoming a Foster Parent? If so, fill out this quick form to request a call back today; it is worth getting your initial questions answered. We are looking for Foster Parents in all of Northern Illinois and the Chicagoland area. 

​Hello Friends,
As we come to the end of another fiscal year, I reflect back on the progress we made and the achievements we reached in helping our youth at OCH.  Despite the challenges, we were able to help many of our kids achieve their goals and move forward to creating more positive outcomes in their lives.  I am continually grateful to our committed staff, dedicated foster parents and donors like you who make this work possible every day!
I am excited for you to see this year’s Annual Impact Report and hope you enjoy reading about all the good things that happened for our youth and OCH over this past year.
We look forward to this year as we continue to do this challenging work.  We are excited to grow our REACH Program and help even more of the most vulnerable youth in Illinois.  We are committed to recruiting more foster parents and certifying them in the trauma based curriculum Together Facing the Challenge (TFTC).  We will be providing Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Training and 0n- support for our staff and are dedicated to making OCH a safe and inclusive agency for everyone.
Thank you so much for your on-going support for OCH.  Without you, we could not be as successful and make the impact we have for our youth and their families.
With much Gratitude,
Marissa Allen

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We are looking for foster parents located in Northern Illinois/Chicagoland area. Request a Call to learn if fostering is for you!

"I have been in the system since I could remember, somewhere around 5 or 6. I was placed in about 15 different foster homes and 3 group homes. When I was a teenager I was placed into a new agency that ultimately changed my life. The best foster home I was in I was her first foster girl and she took a huge leap of faith for me. From there..."

Finish reading Danielle's story here

​Mission:
To support and strengthen children and families in their toughest, most vulnerable moments.

Vision: 
A world where children are safe and families are connected.

​Since 1995, Our Children's Homestead (OCH) has played an integral role in supporting Illinois' most traumatized foster youth.  
OCH contracts with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to provide therapeutic foster care to youth placed under specialized contracts.  OCH serves youth of all ages who have been removed from their homes due to severe abuse, neglect or dependency. They struggle with a combination of medical, developmental, mental health and behavioral issues that require intensive services.
We empower parents to heal and grow so that their children can be returned to them. If they are unable, we immediately work to identify an adoptive family for the youth; however, the sad truth is that not all youth get adopted.  We support each youth to recognize and develop the power within them to become joyful, self-reliant, healthy, and successful adults.

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