Justin Merritt, co-chair of the Children's Homes fund drive for $1.9M, points to a drawing of the proposed 7,350 foot building to go up next to the James Home site in Shelby. Jay Gragg, president of the CHCC board is co-chairman of the capital fund drive

Janie, not her real name, has turned 18 but at 18 she does not magically become an independent adult. She has aged out of the foster care system, with no safety net, and she finds this transition troubling.
Last year the Children's Homes of Cleveland County served 207 children and 133 adults, 23% from Kings Mountain, 29% from Shelby and 29% from rural areas. Of this group 25% were African Americans, 70% Caucasian, and 5 % multicultural.
Officials say that a local, independent living program can help Cleveland County's foster children avoid becoming statistics. There are 180 children in foster care in Cleveland County, 11 are 18 or older.
Last week the Children's Homes of Cleveland County kicked off a $1.9M campaign for funds to build a free standing 7,530 square-foot building next to its James Home site in Shelby which will contain two independent living apartments, four offices for outpatient mental health services, dedicated space for visitation services, waiting rooms, a training room and space for CHCC administrative services.
A total of $372,000 has already been raised to kick start the campaign with an eye to beginning construction in the first quarter of 2017 with completion date of 10 months. The total cost of the project is $ 1.9 M. The estimated cost to construct the facility is $1.45 million including professional fees and construction loan interest. CHCC already owns the land. Additional funding of $147,000 is needed for programming changes including furnishings/equipment and additional personnel. A total of $228,000 is needed for construction contingencies and a facilities maintenance fund. A total of $475,000 is budgeted for campaign fund raising and marketing costs.
This project will provide Cleveland County's first completely independent residential living program for at-risk young people transitioning into adulthood. The nearest such services are more than 50 miles away. In the past three years, 22 young adults in Cleveland County have aged out of foster care.
Two apartments will each have a living room, a complete kitchen with dining area, a bedroom, a bathroom and laundry facilities. Separate entrances, with no internal access to the rest of the building are provided to ensure the safety and the privacy of the resident. The apartment will be furnished, but each resident will have the opportunity to use their own resources to decorate and make the apartment their home. Each participant will have responsibilities and supervision at the level they require to ensure their success in the program.
The new facility will allow for the expansion and improvement of other services such as the visitation program in which parents under a court order come to CHCC for professionally supervised visits with their child. While there is currently space for the visit to take place, there is no waiting area forcing parents and families to wait in their vehicle or on the porch for their appointment. Additionally, there is no private location for visitation staff to consult with parents prior to the scheduled visit.
One of the first visitation programs in the country to be accredited and the only service of its kind in Cleveland County, the visitation program is a critical piece in the reunification of children and families. CHCC staff transport children to and from the current site, which is attached to James Home, for their court-ordered visitation with parents. Visits occur under professional supervision by CHCC ensuring the physical safety of the children. On average about 150 children are served each year.
CHCC's outpatient mental health services will be able to double its professional capacity and the related clinical space with the new building. CHCC reeives on average 45-50 new calls each month for services and maintains a waiting list of at least 10 individuals.
In service to individuals traumatized by physical, emotional or sexual abuse, CHCC offers the only local, professionally-trained therapists in trauma-focused, cognitive behavioral therapeutic methods that teach survivors coping skills to heal from abuse. Therapists are also trained to teach survivors how to change behaviors resulting from trauma and chronic stress. These nationally-recognized therapeutic techniques have proven rehabilitative outcomes. Last year, 130 individuals were served.
Shared parenting because of divorce is often very difficult and communication is key, say officials. CHCC began offering co-parenting classes which teach communication skills, at the request of the Cleveland County District Court ,and is the preferred trainer of co-parenting classes.
Statistics show that within four years of leaving foster care 25% of young adults are homeless, 71% are parents, 25% experience post traumatic stress disorder and 33% of males and 75% of females will require public assistance to provide basic needs. Tragically, out of desperation, many return to the unhealthy, unsafe environment where they lived before entering foster care.
A local, independent living program can help Cleveland County beat these statistics, say leaders in the fund drive of the not-for-profit Children's Homes which have served children and families for a quarter century.
Campagn co-chairmen Justin Merritt and Jay Gragg say that contributions can be made by contacting the office of the Children's Homes at 704-484-2558.