Our Blog
Death of a Child Hauntingly Familiar
On December 29, 2021, six-year-old Damari Perry of North Chicago was forced by a relative to stand in a cold shower as a punishment, for an extended period, when he began to vomit. Though he became unresponsive, and his condition critical, no one called 911, and Damari died…
HOLIDAY CHEER FOR YOU!
We wish you the happiest of holidays from all of us at Shelter and thank you for making the season memorable for Shelter’s children, youths, and families!
Between COVID and the staff shortages we share with the country, and the ups and downs of social services, it hasn’t been an easy year. Yet, because of you and other members of our Shelter family, we have accomplished so much….
Meet the Student Who Keeps Kids on Track
Before completing his freshman year in college, Noah Mayo was making plans for this summer. He would continue his track workouts for his body, take two summer classes for his brain, but as he says, he “wanted to do something to help others and feed his soul.” Noah...
Meet the Student Who Keeps Kids on Track
Before completing his freshman year in college, Noah Mayo was making plans for this summer. He would continue his track workouts for his body, take two summer classes for his brain, but as he says, he “wanted to do something to help others and feed his soul.”
Noah researched where his talents could be applied and heard from his grandmother about Shelter and the Boys’ Group Home.
Making Summer Memories
While every youth in our Emergency Group Homes has experienced a unique and difficult journey, they deserve happy summer memories like all kids. Unfortunately, childhood and summer end all too soon, and both should be enjoyed to the fullest.
Shelter’s Pride is Showing!
Children and adolescents who identify as LGBTQ+, just like all children, enter the child welfare system because their biological families cannot provide safe and nurturing homes. However, LGBTQ+ youths are overrepresented in the system.
Multiple studies show between 25 – 43% of LGBTQ+ youth are homeless because of their family’s non-acceptance of their sexual orientation or gender identity…
Kids and the Mental Health Pandemic
Since March of 2020, the pandemic fists have been pummeling children from every direction, just as they have adults, but often in different ways. Before we can learn how to help our kids, we need to know their challenges, and there we have help.
Foster Care Programs: Because Every Child Deserves a Family
May being National Foster Care Month, I asked Erica Schultz, our Foster Care Licensing Specialist, what she would like to tell people about our programs. Two things immediately came to her mind.
First, the goals of Shelter’s Foster Care Programs are different from adoption agencies. The purpose of adoption agencies is to facilitate adoptions between birth parents and adoptive parents. Adoption is a forever commitment…
Leah’s Story: A Helping Hand Prevents Neglect
Child neglect, a form of child abuse, can be defined as not meeting a child’s needs in any of four areas: physical, medical, emotional, or educational. Yet, some of a child’s needs, like food and shelter, are more obvious than others.
Until babies come with instruction books, parenting skills need to be learned. Some learn from their parents or other family members. For those without the benefit of positive and knowledgeable role models, parenting can be especially frightening and overwhelming…
