No more sleeping on the floor

There's this local single licensed foster caregiver who has committed to keeping kids in their community so they have a better chance at reunification:

You see, on any given night on the Olympic Peninsula, there are ZERO beds available for a child that needs a safe place to land. 

There is a critical shortage of foster homes where we live, so we do our best to make sure that those who do say YES are supported and kids are kept in their community - near their school & friends… rather than being sent counties and hours away from everything that’s familiar to them.

But while this foster parent's heart and impact on the community are huge, his house is only like 500 sqft. One of the needs that was identified to make life easier for him as a caregiver and for the kids in his care was MORE SPACE. 

This sweet couple in Angels shirts is part of the Love Box group of volunteers that have been scheming for years now on how to make this happen...

Lexi has been a volunteer since Olympic Angels' beginnings in 2019. When she recently joined this caregiver's Love Box group, her husband Chris saw an opportunity to lend his carpentry skills to transform the garage into a fun, safe, and functional hang space.

Thanks to generous in-kind donations from local businesses:

• McCrorie Carpet One,
• Carl's Building Supply,
• Home Depot in Sequim,
• Groves & Co,
• and several awesome finds on the local Buy Nothing group
  ...it's insulated, drywalled, carpeted, and gained a new window. There's a bunk bed, futon, twinkle lights, TV, and games...it's cozy and perfect.  

​The youth currently in this home is thrilled to be a part of creating a legacy for all of the kids who will stay there in the future. Best of all - they get to stay in their community, near their friends, and have the most epic sleepovers! 

(Yay for normal childhood experiences even though they are in a very abnormal situation!)

To this Love Box group, giving more space and a spot that felt dedicated to youth seemed needed and like the right thing to do. In a city with very few places for teens to hang out, they view it as an investment in the community that will reach far beyond this current foster placement.

Olympic Angels volunteers show up, are resourceful, get creative, and invest generously so that caregivers can continue saying YES to keeping kids in their community. 

Investing in the foster care community will have ripples for many years to come.