You Could Be the Difference in a Foster Child's Life
Abigail was only nine years old, but with drug-addicted parents, and younger siblings in need of care, she was comfortable playing the role of the parent. She was less experienced at just being a kid, so her mental health therapist referred her to Great Life Mentoring, where she could get some stress-free time each week with an adult who she could count on.
Once a week, Abigail and her mentor, Maya, had fun out in the community together. They had been friends for a while when Abigail asked Maya, “how much do you get paid to hang out with me?”
This is not an uncommon question, particularly for system-involved kids. Abigail had been in and out of foster care and received a variety of state services, so she was accustomed to having professional adults in her life. But Maya was different.
Maya was pleased to answer, “I don’t get paid to hang out with you. I’m here because we’re friends. I like being with you.” Abigail smiled, surprised and a little stunned. “Cool,” she replied.
Due to the instability in her life, there were times when Abigail had to change schools or homes and, with the help of Great Life Mentoring, Maya was able to find Abigail and reconnect each time. She showed up consistently and brought strength and confidence to her friend.
When she was with Maya, Abigail enjoyed just being a kid. Eventually, she told her mentor that she would wake up early on the day of their outing, excited to see her. In fact, Abigail expressed that she would always have a friend, because of Maya.
There are over 400,000 children in foster care in the United States. In Washington State, where Great Life Mentoring has been headquartered since 2000, the Department of Children, Youth and Families was created to restructure how the state serves at-risk children and youth, with the goal of producing better outcomes (2017). This organization oversees services that were previously offered through the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Child Protective Services and licensed foster care are just two of their many functions.
DCYF has a vision that “all Washington’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community.” This includes Great Life Mentoring.
Children like Abigail are being nurtured by remarkable volunteers in their community who befriend them without being paid, and that kind of relationship can have a deeper impact than any other service alone.
Who are these incredible mentors? We’ve got a line-up to show you on our Meet our Mentors page. https://greatlifementoring.com/category/meet-the-mentor/
And what about the kids? After twenty years, Great Life Mentoring has hundreds of stories to tell. Here are a few examples: https://greatlifementoring.com/category/childrens-stories/
If you are interested in being part of the solution, contact Great Life Mentoring, which has the most comprehensive mentor training and support system in the nation.
Imagine having someone who would be so excited to see you that they’d wake up early and watch for you to arrive.