The King Orphanage was established by the Jerusalem Baptist Church and the Friends of Fort Liberté in 1996. For years, Pastor Andre Jean and his wife Justine had been feeding street children outside the church compound’s kitchen.  Once the commitment had been made, the couple carefully chose ten children to be the first residents of the new orphanage. Unable to resist the plight of so many, Pastor Andre quickly added another ten.

Within weeks, the children asked that the name of their home  be changed.  They said they were no longer orphans; they had (house) parents, brothers and sisters.  Thus, the name was changed to the King Center.

Ten years and a second dormitory later, the King Center now houses 50 children.  These children, some of whom were literally starving in the streets, have become the pride of the community.  One “child,” the first to graduate from the orphanage, now attends medical school in the Dominican Republic.  He plans to return to Fort Liberte to work in the new clinic.

Sponsorship for an orphan is $50 a month, since there is no other means of support.  However, $50 a month cannot cover all the costs to rear a child.  Funds are also needed for building maintenance and to provide medical care if the children become ill. General donations to the orphanage fund are always welcomed and needed.