ISSUE 94 | AUGUST 2019
WITH COLDWELL BANKER TOMLINSON
FOSTERING A MORE COMPASSIONATE WORLD
Article by Melissa Blaine, Realtor®
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” – Frederick Douglass
“What happens when people open their hearts? They get better.” – Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood
In today’s current political and social climate, we see so much turmoil and differing opinions about immigration and homelessness. While this is not a real estate market topic, this is a Spokane topic and reaches far beyond our city and state borders. In upcoming issues, we will feature a few very specific articles about our marginalized youth. This is not a political stance or policy discussion. This is about what is being done now by local organizations to help youth that will grow up to be our future neighbors, employees, and leaders. This is about what we can do as a community to make a difference in the next generation. to “be the change we want to see”.
This month’s feature is the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor (URM) Program through Lutheran Community Services. I first heard about this program in the fall of 2018. Since that time, my husband and I have attended their orientation, signed up and have now just completed all of our required classes and licensing criteria to be able to be foster parents to a URM youth. We will be accepting a child into our home starting in August!
Building walls or shelters or policing policy are reactions to current stresses in our culture. We will focus on a few local organizations that are engaging youth early to hopefully change their life trajectory and in time, make a difference for all.
Most of the children that need placement in a foster home in this program are teenagers. The program’s most urgent need is for licensed foster parent. There are, however, several ways you can participate in this program: providing respite care, acting as a mentor, and donating. The youth through this program are in the United States on an asylum visa. This is not a pathway to adoption, but rather a long term guardian role with the possibility of reunifying the child with the family. Here is more from the LCS staff: ...continued on next page