Our Story
Working for the children of North Carolina since 1883
Mission Statement
The mission of the Central Children’s Home of North Carolina (CCHNC) is to provide family-centered services to children and youth aged 8–21 who cannot remain at home due to dependency, neglect, or abuse. CCHNC delivers these services via an appropriate period of residential group care, and provides a wholesome atmosphere that is conducive to the emotional, educational, social, spiritual, and physical growth and development of our charges. Our primary goal is to promote positive family functioning and independent living.
Our History
In August 1882, the Colored Orphanage Association was formed in Henderson, North Carolina by members of the Shiloh and Wake Missionary Baptist Associations. The idea of a home was presented by Dr. Augustus Shepard, who had become familiar with the large number of homeless and neglected children by traveling throughout the state.
In October 1883, at a cost of $1,565.00, our founders obtained a farm of 24 acres, located one and a half miles from Oxford, North Carolina on the Raleigh Road. The home was named the Grant Colored Asylum.
The orphanage was incorporated as a nondenominational institution to care for children deprived of parental care. The goals back then included providing them with training along religious, moral, and industrial lines and to prepare them for life as productive citizens.
Children received work experience in farming, dairying, carpentry, bricklaying, brickmaking, barbering, shoe repair, food preparation, household skills, laundry, and related areas. Later, in 1943, a scholarship fund was established by the late Robert L. Shepard, giving our children the resources to pursue vocational and college educations.
The facility was renamed and incorporated in 1887 as The Colored Orphanage Asylum of North Carolina. In 1927, the orphanage was reincorporated as The Colored Orphanage of North Carolina, and in 1965 was renamed again to The Central Orphanage of North Carolina. Finally, in August of 1986, the facility became known as the Central Children’s Home of North Carolina, Inc. and has been ever since.
Get a first hand look at our rich history and see how the CCHNC has evolved over the generations in our archive.
Professional Affiliations
- Licensed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services – Division of Social Services
