Home for Homeless Kids Needs Help Itself

OXFORD, N.C. — In it's heyday, the Central Children's Home of North Carolina served more than 300 children. Today, it serves 32, and it is in need of some help itself.

The home founded in 1883 is short on money to operate and needs capital improvements, too.

A gift of new computers helped brighten the spirits at the Central Children's home this month. The 10 machines were a gift from a Triangle company to the historically black orphanage. However, the challenges of operating a facility today require more than that.

"Today, we have to give them therapeutic services and meet all the needs of a family to try to get them reunited instead of keeping them till they age out of the system, as it was in years past." Executive Director Michael Alston says. That is a big change.

Sam Cox, 76, was a resident for 10 years in the 1940s.

"Pretty rough, and I mean it was rough," Cox says. "To keep us busy, we would rake up acorns to feed to the hogs, or with a brush broom, we'd sweep these roadways."

He does not want to the home close.

"I hate to see this happen because it has been a valuable resource to the underprivileged children,"Cox says.

Forty percent of the Children's Home budget comes from faith based donations or promises. That means a future in doubt for the Central Children's Home.

Alston visits churches every Sunday asking for donations.