We are excited to announce the launch of Epworth’s new Institute! The experience and knowledge gained through Epworth’s 120-year ministry enables us to see firsthand emerging changes in the landscape of child welfare and to plan effectively to meet the needs of children and families in the future. Epworth is now working to further fulfill its mission through the establishment of the Institute for Child and Family Wellbeing.
The Institute will comprise of many centers of excellence for each of these immediate needs in our state and will be headquartered on the recently acquired second Epworth campus, the former campus of Carolina Children’s Home in Columbia. In cooperation with the South Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Pan-Methodist Campaign for Children in Poverty (six denominations, collaborating to challenge, strengthen and enable congregations and other organizations across the state to establish a variety of services available to children at risk to poverty), and other partners, the Institute will have a service footprint in cities and communities across the state of South Carolina.
Centers of Excellence Working Together
Our new Institute is designed to meet immediate needs in South Carolina. Among the planned centers of excellence include:
- The Center for Family Engagement
Recruit, license, train, and support strong foster families. Support kin caregivers and biological and adoptive families in need. (Columbia location established in 2017, Charleston area location planned for early 2019, other locations to follow.) - The Center for Independent Living
Expand capacity of, and increase the service array of the currently highly successful Higher Education program at Epworth - The Center for Child and Family Counseling
Help both children and adults overcome the effects of grief, loss, and trauma
Plans are already underway for these and other centers. Epworth plans to roll-out services as needs are identified and resources are secured through the Every Child Is a Miracle financial campaign.
