The kids we serve experience hardships no child should have to face, including neglect, abuse and abandonment. We can’t change the wrongs they’ve experienced in the past but we can do what’s right in hopes of changing their future. We nurture these vulnerable children by embracing them, meeting them where they’re at and loving them unconditionally. We’re not only providing them with homes, we’re giving them a system of support and care to help them flourish.
While faith serves as the core of our mission, we are driven by a desire to nurture, support and prepare kids for productive, thriving futures. We believe we can break what often becomes a cycle of neglect and circumstance for many vulnerable children and families. Our caring and compassionate team works to change the trajectory of the lives of those we serve in our homes as well as our programs centered around family preservation, foster care, school readiness and adoption services.
“In response to God’s Word, we embrace and nurture vulnerable children and families by providing homes, healing and hope.”
Our accreditation means we have been found to meet or exceed best practice standards.
The FFTA provides current news and best practices that affect development, evaluation, recognition and funding to strengthen family-focused treatment services.
United Methodist Children’s Home is a fully licensed child-placing agency.
With God’s love as our compass, we pull together both church, community and state resources to help connect kids in Alabama and Northwest Florida with a stable, loving home environment. What started as an orphanage in Summerfield, Alabama has since grown to serve thousands of children and families across two states.
It’s a rich history and precedent that we don’t take lightly. We understand the need to care for vulnerable children is still just as applicable today as it was decades ago. With this in mind, we have been answering the call to serve, bringing to life the ongoing mission to care for kids and families in crisis through homes, healing and hope.
We work with biological families, foster families, adoptive families, state agencies and community partners to provide safe environments for kids.
We work tirelessly to ensure a sense of stability for children and families by assessing their needs and connecting them with those who can help meet those needs.
We work with both biological and foster families to equip them with the resources for success.
Florence, AL
Scottsboro, AL
Birmingham, AL
Tuscaloosa, AL
Auburn, AL
Montgomery, AL
Headland, AL
Andalusia, AL
Dothan, AL
Mobile, AL
Our team is headquartered in Montgomery but spans the state of Alabama to provide programs and services that embrace children in foster care and families in crisis.
We also serve Northwest Florida as the founding ministry of Embrace Florida Kids.
Alabama View Florida Locations View Alabama LocationsOur team of committed leaders and staff all work to serve the greater mission of providing homes, healing and hope to vulnerable and hope to vulnerable children and families in crisis.
President & CEO
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Dr. Blake Horne is President and CEO of the United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH). After earning his doctorate in marriage and family therapy from Florida State University and becoming a licensed therapist, he completed three years of postdoctoral study at the Georgetown Family Center in Washington D.C. and served as the Executive Director of The Samaritan Counseling Center in Montgomery, Alabama for 12 years. Passionate about providing direct delivery of clinical services, Dr. Horne found his calling in leading organizations to serve their mission. In 2012, Dr. Horne joined the UMCH team to help lead it in its mission to embrace and nurture vulnerable children and families by providing homes, healing and hope. As President and CEO of UMCH, Dr. Horne also provides leadership and guidance to the Embrace Florida Kids executive leadership team in Northwest Florida.
Sr. VP of Programs
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Originally joining the team in 2006, Kristin Alberda is the Senior Vice President of Programs for the United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH) and the Executive Director of Embrace Florida Kids. Kristin is tasked with ensuring that all programs—from UMCH programs in Alabama to Embrace Florida Kids programs in Northwest Florida—meet or exceed strict local, state and federal standards or requirements. Additionally, Kristin leads the accreditation process for all programs to ensure compliance and best practices. A child welfare advocate for 21 years, Kristin earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of West Florida and her master’s degree in social work from Florida State University. She is a licensed and independent clinical social worker and maintains her Child Welfare Supervisor and Child Welfare Licensing Professional certifications.
Sr. VP of External Affairs
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Rebecca Morris is the Senior Vice President of External Affairs for the United Methodist Children’s Home. She has been working with UMCH since August 2012. Before starting back to work she was able to stay home with her three boys. Prior to that, she worked in community relations with the Alabama Hospital Association. Rebecca grew up in Montgomery, Alabama and then lived a short time in Pensacola, Mobile and Tuscaloosa before settling in Birmingham. She attended the University of Alabama for college. Rebecca and her husband Ben joined Canterbury United Methodist Church in 2012.
Vice President of Administration
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Harold Mann is the Vice President of Administration for the United Methodist Children’s Home. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business and a master’s in business administration from Auburn University, he worked in the IT industry for more than 35 years, retiring in 2009 as vice president of application systems development for Alfa Insurance. He then worked part-time for six years before joining UMCH, where he is tasked with accounting, finance and payroll functions. He also works tirelessly to ensure that UMCH is a good steward of the resources entrusted to the agency. Harold is a native of Tallassee, Alabama and grew up in a family of six children. He married Julie, his high school sweetheart, in 1972 and they have lived in Montgomery for 44 years. They are blessed with three children and four granddaughters. Harold is grateful that his role at UMCH allows him to serve God and “to look after orphans” as we are called to do in James 1:27.
The United Methodist Children’s Home is led by a volunteer board, who provides advisory leadership to our executive team.
