We believe every family deserves the opportunity to succeed, and our family resource centers are here to help. Whether you need assistance with housing, employment, education, or health, we provide various services that can help improve well-being and strengthen families’ futures.
“I am honored to take on this leadership role within my community, and I know there is more work to be done to deepen our engagement with families throughout the region,” said Kris Collier, North Central regional director. “Our reimagined approach to holistic family support, coupled with other exciting changes statewide and in our backyard will only continue to enrich our ability to show up for and support families how they need us, when they need us, to continue succeeding in all aspects of life.”
A long journey has brought me to the Wenatchee Valley in central Washington state. I am thrilled to purse the next leg of my career in a newly created role as Washington Family Support Network Director in support of family well-being and development across the entire state of Washington for Children’s Home Society of Washington.
“I’m not a reformist, I’m not an abolitionist. I’m just a person who cares about people and wants them to have the best chance in life,” Selivanoff told BuzzFeed News. She said what she truly wants is a system “that sees every person in a family as deserving and capable.”
Children’s Home Society of Washington, one of the state’s and nation’s leading children and family organizations, announced today it has received a significant investment in its groundbreaking efforts to strengthen families.
The expansion is thanks to an $8 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
The unprecedented gift is the largest unrestricted donation in the 126-year history of Children’s Home Society of Washington. This contribution will help Children’s Home Society of Washington carry out its transformative work to shift government and philanthropic resources to keeping families together and to combat inequities that have been compounded by the pandemic.
“I remain inspired every day with the amount of resiliency and strength all families, especially kids, have despite the circumstances many families experience,” said Daniel. “That strength, to me, is the foundation to build upon that can make decisive impacts on policy and programs that change lives for the better.”
Children’s Home Society of Washington (CHSW) has added a new community leader to our Board of Trustees, Shayla Kern. The mother of three, who has personal experience with CHSW services in the Walla Walla region, will provide invaluable insight to the board.
Like most families, Walla Walla, Wash. couple Stephen and Kendra Barfoot were impacted by COVID-19 as they fought to find a “new normal” amid the challenges of 2020. Parents to six-year-old Scarlett and 3 ½ year-old Noah, The Barfoot family has benefitted from the Early Head Start and Mobility Mentoring Bridge programs offered through Children’s Home Society of Washington.
“The kids were removed on a Friday and we were told they’d be home Monday,” Jamie recounted. “We didn’t see them again for nine weeks.” At a crossroads, Chris and Jamie were pushed to seek the help they so desperately knew they needed, fueled by the powerful motivation of getting their children back home with them in a safe, stable environment.
Lora and Matt Bowden are a Washington couple with a passion to care for children in need. They have 10 children, a combination of biological and adopted children ranging in age from 35 to six years old, including siblings Angel (12) and Zaayne (6) who were adopted in 2020 through a collaboration between Children’s Home Society of Washington’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids (WWK) program and DCYF, part of the Washington state 10-year Permanency Initiative.
“Adding a leader to our Board of Trustees with a proven track record of long-standing community engagement and dedication to racial equity and social justice underscores CHSW’s commitment to making a difference in the lives of children and families in communities throughout Washington state, with an emphasis on communities of color – often hardest hit by crises afflicting the families we serve,” said Dave Newell, president and CEO of Children’s Home Society of Washington. “We are enthusiastic about deepening our diversity, equity and inclusion work throughout the state with the support of our engaged Board of Trustees and staff.”
As I struggled through my own child welfare system involvement, I had mentors and advocates that supported me along the way. This amazing network of people afforded me with resources and increasing self-efficacy to begin my journey of growth. When I realized how paramount their support was to my success, the gap between me and my purpose melted away. I wanted to emulate their behavior and professional accomplishments, helping families find their voice and speak their truth.
At Children’s Home Society of Washington, our mission is to nurture and create healthy environments where children and families are able to thrive. Racism and White supremacy are a real and ever-present public health danger to the Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) employees and families we serve, and we must join with others so that all BIPOC children and families can thrive in our nation.
On the morning of Jan. 7, the Congress of the United States confirmed the electoral votes of our next president and vice president, and it is time for us as a nation to come together to chart a new path. While there will be many challenges ahead, at Children’s Home Society of Washington we are optimistic about the future because we believe that when we strengthen families, we all benefit, and that behind every family’s step toward health, stability, and growth is a community that moves forward together.
