Ottumwa students and staff involved in American Home Finding ’ s Teen Outreach Program participate in an event at Southern Iowa Mental Health . Pictured from left to right are : Oliver Hernandez Norris , student ; Ashton Stines-Monohon , student ; Arrielle Griffin , student ; Chelsea Carter , American Home Finding ; Ethan Streeby , student ; Melony Stines-Monohon , student ; Jillian Skinner , student and an SIMH provider .
Ottumwa ’ s American Home Finding Association celebrates 125 years
BY CHANNING RUCKS Herald Staff Writer
Homes come in a variety of shapes and sizes . Some people find it in the midst of family and friends in a place they ’ ve always known . Others take a longer , more difficult journey to find a home that , though they may not have been born to it , surrounds them with love all the same .
Ottumwa ’ s American Home Finding Association has been an instrumental part of the latter process in southeast Iowa and beyond since 1899 . Founded by Reverend U . B . Smith and Judge M . A . Roberts , American Home Finding is on a mission to provide “ exceptional services that nurture and improve the quality of life for families and children ,” an ethos that is still central to the organization 125 years later .
“ Even though the exact language of that [ mission statement ] has been modified over the years , it certainly holds true , from 1899 to the present ,” said Executive Director Tracey Boxx . “ That ’ s what we ' re here for — to serve children and families .”
At the close of the 19th Century , American Home Finding was originally established in the community as an adoption agency . The founders , Boxx says , were concerned with child welfare and felt they could be part of improving the living conditions for children in Ottumwa .
“ It ’ s really interesting , in this basement , there ’ s an old safe that we have records from starting in 1899 . And of course , it ’ s all hand-written [ on ] onion paper . It ’ s really fascinating to look at some of that ,” Boxx said . “ And of course , the adoptions — now an adoption is such a formal process . There ’ s lots of legalities involved . You have to follow , obviously , the Iowa Code . Back then , the adoptions were far less sophisticated , so it ’ s really interesting , some of the things that you read .”
“ I remember , I came across one that really struck me ,” Boxx added . “ It was basically an agreement between this adoptive family and this child that he would be a farmhand , and on his 18th birthday they would give him $ 50 and a suit . So again , times have changed .”
The adoption process isn ’ t the only thing that ’ s changed for American Home Finding over the years . These days , Boxx says adoption itself is probably their least utilized service . Child welfare , however , remains at the center of what the organization does .
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