PURPOSE AND MISSION
What is the purpose of Mount Dora Children’s Home?
Mount Dora Children’s Home provides a home of healing that is safe and nurturing while offering a loving environment of encouragement and support so every child and family can discover their value and develop their giftedness.

ORGANIZATION
Is Mount Dora Children’s Home a licensed non-profit organization?
Yes. Created in 1945, Mount Dora Children’s Home is a licensed 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization.

Who governs your program?
A Board of Trustees governs the affairs of Mount Dora Children’s Home. As volunteers, they receive no compensation for their services. For a list of our trustees, please click here.

Why was Mount Dora Children’s Home established?
Visionary leaders recognized a need to serve hurting, homeless, abused and at-risk children by providing a safe Christian home where children are encouraged, directed and allowed to discover their potential; develop their skills and determine their future.

Where are you located?
Located a brief 45-minute drive north of Orlando, our 70-acre campus is located among the whispering pines and shimmering lakes of Central Florida in Mount Dora, Florida. For a map from your house to ours, please click here.

ADOPTION PROGRAM
Is Mount Dora Children’s Home an adoption agency?
Yes. Licensed by the state of Florida, Mount Dora Children's Home has helped build countless homes by uniting children with loving Christian families. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here to contact our Social Services Office. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

What is the first step in becoming a qualified adoptive parent?
Contact Mount Dora Children’s Home by telephone (352.383.9906), email (cshepherd@chbs.org) or letter to request additional information and schedule an appointment to discuss becoming adoptive parents.

What happens next?
Once you have been approved to continue on your adoption journey, an application must be completed, received, reviewed and accepted. Emotional and financial stability must be evident, active participation in a local Church of Christ expected, be of good character and be capable of providing a nurturing home environment. You must complete a Home Study and become M.A.P.P. trained and certified. Finally, you must agree to adhere to the restrictions and requirements as determined by Mount Dora Children's Home, state licensing and other statutes and guidelines. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here to contact our Social Services Office. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

How long will this process take?
The entire process can take, on average, between three and six months. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and you are a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here to contact our Social Services Office. If you are interested in becoming a qualified foster care family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

Why are some children not adoptable?
The majority of children living on campus never become adoptable because their parents, guardians or State representatives retain custody of the children. In many cases, their refusal to terminate parental rights deny these children the blessing of living with a family who will love and nurture them. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here to contact our Social Services Office. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

Can Mount Dora Children’s Home perform the home study?
Yes. Our Social Services staff is trained and qualified to evaluate prospective foster care families and guide eligible couples through the Foster Care Home Study process. If you are interested in becoming a qualified foster care family and a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for an application. If you are interested in becoming a qualified foster care family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

What is a "Special Needs Adoption?"
The adoption of African-American, bi-racial, school age, siblings or children with serious medical or emotional needs. Additional training is provided to adoptive parents, when necessary, to help them nurture these children successfully and lovingly. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here to contact our Social Services Office. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

Do you charge for an Adoptive Home Study?
Yes. All fees are structured to cover the cost of the time, paperwork and preparation required of our staff to conduct the Adoptive Home Study. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here to contact our Social Services Office. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

Will you accept Home Studies from other qualified adoption agencies?
Yes. Our goal and energy is focused on qualifying permanent Christian homes for children who deserve a loving family. To determine if your previous Home Study is appropriate and acceptable, please contact Chuck Shepherd, Mount Dora Children's Home Director (cshepherd@chbs.org). If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here to contact our Social Services Office. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

What are the fees involved in adopting a child at Mount Dora Children's Home?
All fees are based on a case-by-case basis, determined by your family's annual income. Therefore, the actual costs will vary from one adoptive situation to another. We do not allow finances, however, to prevent a qualified, trained and loving Christian family from giving a deserving child the home they need. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here to contact our Social Services Office. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

To adopt a "special needs child," typically all adoption fees are waived, with the exception of the Adoptive Home Study Fee (under special circumstances even this fee can be waived). The State of Florida does provide additional financial incentives for families adopting a "special needs child."

To adopt an infant, generally the adoptive fee is based on a percentage of the family's annual gross income. This fee covers all fess associated with the child's birth including, but not limited to physician, hospital, legal and any foster care costs necessary until Mount Dora Children's Home secures custody of the child.

If we cannot qualify for as an adoptive family with you, what do we do?
We serve as a resource and referral agency for many families seeking to adopt children. Our Social Services staff is knowledgeable about both Christian and private adoption agencies licensed in the state of Florida who may be able to meet your needs. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here to contact our Social Services Office. If you are interested in becoming a qualified adoptive family and you are not a participating member of the Church of Christ, please click here for more information.

HOW I CAN HELP
Where do you get your financial support?
Mount Dora Children’s Home, a licensed 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, receives 90 percent of its operating funds through private donations from churches and individuals. The remaining 10 percent is provided through donations from planned giving gifts, special events, corporate matching gifts, SSI payments and civic organizations. If you are interested in making a gift or discovering your gift options, please click here.

Do you accept matching gifts from corporations?
Yes. Click here to determine if your company is a matching gift corporation. If so, then your generous support may now be doubled! Contact your personnel or human resources department and request a matching gift form. Complete Part A and sign it. Send the form to our Development Department at Mount Dora Children’s Home.

How can my local congregation help your work?
Help us find loving Christian families willing to become adoptive parents for children who will thrive with the individual nurturing, love and support they deserve. To learn more about our foster care program, click here. To learn more about our adoption program, click here.

Will you arrange for us to meet with your elders or leaders so they can discuss the many opportunities where churches can be involved with our ministry? Will you coordinate with your church leadership to allow us to speak before the congregation and share the story of hope and second chances our children enjoy while living at Mount Dora Children’s Home? To learn more about speaking opportunities, please click here.

Will you agree to partner with us by providing our homes with various household goods (i.e. towels, linens, cleaning supplies, pillows, kitchen utensils and appliances, vacuum cleaners, furniture, etc.) and the necessary food supplies needed to feed our children? To learn more about how to coordinate these efforts, please click here.

Will you participate in one of our programs?

How can my local civic group help your work?
As someone once said, “One hundred years from now, it will not matter the size of my bank account, but that I was important in the life of a child.” If you are interested in making a gift or discovering your gift options, please click here.

Our children have normal growing needs such as clothing, shoes and school supplies. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for one of these items, click here to learn how you can positively change a child’s life by meeting one of their basic needs.

Will you consider sponsoring a child for summer camp, summer vacation trips or a summer mission trip? If so, please click here to learn how you can help them learn, grow and share with others.

“ Adopt” one of our homes by providing a pizza party once a quarter, a celebration party for improved grades in school, birthday gifts for each child living in that home, holiday gifts, replacing kitchen appliances (i.e. microwave ovens, stoves, ranges, refrigerators, washers, dryers, blenders, etc.) as needed. If you want to learn more about helping our children to enjoy life and make it better, then click here for more information.

Will your organization consider sponsoring a table at one of our established regional benefit Dinners (i.e. FL – Tampa, Jacksonville; TN – Nashville) or at one of our upcoming Dinners (i.e. FL – Orlando, Pensacola, Gainesville, Naples, Fort Lauderdale; AL – Montgomery)? Will you consider becoming a sponsor of our Charity Drive Golf Classic tournament? For more information and sponsorship information, please click here.

Will you schedule someone from our Development staff as a speaker for one of your weekly meetings? If so, please click here to share contact information.

Will you participate in one of our programs?

Can we bring children home for the holidays?
Children, whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have not been granted holiday visitation privileges, may spend the holidays with you when you are approved as a host family and it is in the best interest of the child to leave campus. If you are interested in learning more, please contact our Social Services Department by email, Bfields@chbs.org, or by phone, 352-383-9906, for more information.

I would like to make a gift to Mount Dora Children’s Home to help your children. What do I do?
Gifts to Mount Dora Children’s Home are always welcome! You are invited to contact our Development Office by email, thagan@chbs.org, or by calling 352-383-2155. If you are interested in making a financial gift, please click here.

If you are interested in discussing how to create a blessing for our children through your estate, charitable planned gifts or other designated giving, please click here.

If you are interested in making a gift to our Thrift Store operation, please click here.

Charitable gifts are tax deductible, subject to limitations determined by the level of your adjusted gross income. For more information, or to inquire about a particular gift option, email us at thagan@chbs.org, or call our Development Office at 352-383-2155.

Do you need volunteers?
Absolutely! Mount Dora Children’s Home volunteers are very important to our ministry with children. Volunteer opportunities allow you, your church, your church class, your civic organization and your business to help children in significant ways by investing your time and your compassion in their lives. The attention you shower on them encourages every child to embrace the hope offered at Mount Dora Children’s Home while they determine to make a new start for their lives. Don’t be surprised if the time and effort you share with a child will help change their life and, maybe, change yours as well.

Volunteers are needed as mentors, for work crews, as sponsors and in many other areas of our children’s lives. For a list of volunteer opportunities currently available, please click here or call our Social Services Department at 352-383-9906.

FUTURE PLANS
Do you have plans to expand your services to serve more children and families?
Yes. Every 44 minutes another child is abused or neglected in the Southeastern United States. Every 8 seconds another child drops out of school in America. Sadly, a high percentage of these innocent victims continue a vicious downward social and behavioral spiral becoming criminals, substance abusers, abusive parents and welfare dependents. Mount Dora Children’s Home, since 1945, has demonstrated successful effectiveness by restoring hope and changing the course of lives for children and youth.

Mount Dora Children’s Home is currently in the initial phase of a major campaign that includes the construction of a new house on our campus. This home will provide a safe refuge for an additional 8-10 children and youth once completed. To learn more about this campaign, please click here.