Our History
Founded in 1864 as the German Methodist Orphan Asylum, Berea Children’s Home and Family Services was originally dedicated to providing shelter for Civil War orphans and caring for neglected, dependent or abandoned children. In 1960, after a study with the Child Welfare League of America, the agency shifted its focus to serving children and youth needing specialized therapeutic programs.
Today, Berea Children’s Home and Family Services has emerged as a diverse organization, highly regarded for the ability to be responsive to the emerging and ever-changing needs of the communities we serve. Through a continuum of services we strive to respond to the individual mental health and developmental needs of the community's most vulnerable children and their families. Our innovative, comprehensive programming strives to preserve family relationships, help make children and families more self-sufficient and reduce clients' need for future social service or court interventions. We operate under the following four major groups of services: Early Childhood Services, Home and Community Support Services, Out of Home Care Services and Child Care and Education.
We are a private, not-for-profit, charitable organization governed by a board of directors in covenant relationship with the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church. Annually we serve 11,000 children and families in 22 counties throughout the State of Ohio. Through innovative leadership and superior services, we make the commitment to a future by cultivating strong kids, strong families and a strong community.
