Sally’s House continues to be a place of refuge for children during COVID-19
Children are brought to The Salvation Army of Spokane’s Sally’s House because of abuse, neglect or living in a home with criminal activity.
These children, who are between the ages of 2-12, come to Sally’s House while their social workers try to locate foster homes for them. Sally’s House is the only such emergency foster care placement program in Eastern Washington.
From the beginning, Sally’s House was deemed an “Essential Service” by local officials. This means that even during quarantine, Sally’s House has continued to care for the most vulnerable children of our community.
Program staff report that Sally’s House continues to see a rise in the number of hurting children that return from what they thought were their forever homes. These children need a lot of love, attention, and extra patience. The staff is working hard to make sure each child feels loved, safe, and like they have a place where they belong.
In addition to meeting their immediate needs, Sally’s House continues to facilitate the children’s visits and counseling appointments via internet, meaning numerous weekly appointments electronically. It can be a lot, but these children are all worth it.
One child who has been impacted is Leland, age 10, who returned to Sally’s House for the fourth time just three weeks ago. He has been asked to leave eight different foster homes in the past two years. Sadly, social workers and judges have declared him legally free, because neither of his parents have tried to regain custody of him or expressed an interest in having a relationship with their son.
Social workers report that based on his past behaviors, no foster home in the state of Washington will take him.
However, at Sally’s House, the staff believes that God has a purpose for every life.
Since placement, Leland has been shown that he is loved and valued. The staff have provided a safe place for him to vent his anger and have met his every aggression with compassion. Leland has slept safely in a warm bed, been fed homemade nutritious foods, and received the medical care he needs.
Daily, Leland opens up to staff, sharing more and more of his story. He creatively seeks out affirmation and attention from staff. He is listened to and laughed with. Though Sally’s House is not his forever home, hopefully it’s a footnote in his story that reminds him that he is worth loving.
At Sally’s House, the staff understands that while some children may seem lost, no child is a lost cause.
If you believe in the purpose of Sally’s House and are able, please consider a tax-deductible financial gift so that Leland, and children like him, can realize their value in life.
For more info, or to donate, please visit www.makingspokanebetter.org.