Connection is Everything
Your gift provided a place for refuge and healing
Andrew and Thomas have been in the foster care system longer than most children at their young age – for more than three years. It has been a long, drawn out process. An unfortunate consequence of the pandemic. This slower pace also may have been a blessing as they had time to find new ways to manage their emotions and a greater ability to connect with others. And now with the adoption process underway, their time in foster care is finally nearing the end. Because of you they had the support and help they needed along the way.
Having suffered a traumatic start in life, they often struggled with impulse control and regulating their emotions that resulted in outbursts and frantic behavior. HumanKind’s Foster Care team connected the boys to a therapist at Blackwater Counseling. In the beginning the thought of not meeting in person felt pointless for the foster family. But then the therapist asked if they could meet outdoors on the historic campus and make use of the grounds for their sessions together.
Because of you Andrew and Thomas had care workers and a therapist ready to meet their unique needs and prepare them for life.
Andrew and Thomas were a little more interested at the idea of meeting outside rather than sit in another office. In one of the first sessions, the therapist and the boys started exploring the grounds – first heading down to the community gardens. “What is growing here? Who eats this food? Can I pick something?” they asked eagerly. A gentlemen working in the garden stopped to greet them and answer as many of their questions as possible. And then he shared something they had not even imagined – he had been a foster child too, and grown up right there on that land. His words of encouragement about how good his life had become moved mountains for the boys that day.
Your generosity has made outdoor sessions possible each week – heading to the pond with a fishing pole, finding the perfect tree to climb, bouncing balls on the basketball court, and building a fort in the forest – all creating meaningful connections. With a more natural setting out for a walk, looking in a garden and exploring something outside gave them a unique opportunity to connect. “We know that being in nature boost growth and healing – and for kids especially it helps them think more clearly, be more comfortable in their bodies and connect more easily,” their therapist shared.
You provided the wrap around support for Andrew and Thomas helping them build resiliency. What a gift that will not only help them now, but stay with them the rest of their lives.
You transformed Andrew and Thomas’ life. Without you, they would have had a very different journey. Every day there are children, who much like Andrew and Thomas, need someone to help them understand their emotions. Because of you and your support, help and resources are ready and waiting for children in need.
Learn more about Blackwater Counseling at HumanKind by visiting here.