The interior of the Morrell home , which has facilitated the work American Home Finding does for decades . Photo courtesy of The Lemberger Collection at the University of Iowa .
“ Not very often do we have an adoption , but we literally are serving thousands of kids and families every month , and we do that through … two distinct departments within the agency . We have the child welfare side , and then we have the public health side ,” Boxx said .
On the child welfare side , American Home Finding serves children at their campus in Agency , which includes an emergency shelter facility licensed for 15 occupants . Some are crisis placements , and some are emergency shelter placements with the State of Iowa . American Home Finding inaugurated its Emergency Shelter Program in 1979 .
The Agency campus also includes a long-term foster group facility , which is licensed for eight children .
“ A lot happens on that campus ,” Boxx said . “ Kids live there . That becomes their home . So that ’ s again , one huge part of American Home Finding .”
On the public health side of things , American Home Finding opened its first maternity home for unwed mothers in 1955 . In 1976 , they followed it with a Maternal / Child Health Program . These days , the organization also helps service the community with government programs including
18 | Now & Then the Special Supplemental Program for Women , Infants and Children , also known as WIC .
“ We serve Region 15 , which is a nine-county area , and that is for services like WIC , for services like … the Healthy Pregnancy Program , Child Adolescent Health , First Five ; so all sorts of services that are really connecting low-income women , children , families to the health care that they need ,” Boxx said .
The organization also provides daily community services
335 Church St Ottumwa , IA52501 641-682-3467