Creating a Therapeutic, Healing Environment
Daily I am left speechless by the resilience of our children. Many are born into desperate situations that could derail their future, from a ten-year-old girl whose grandfather repeatedly molested her to a thirteen-year-old boy whose parents abandoned him at our campus gates. Our staff works tirelessly to create a therapeutic, healing environment where children can move beyond their past to a brighter future. Helping them to acknowledge the good in their lives is one of the first steps. Their loving and nurturing care at Youth Haven cannot negate the trauma, abuse, and neglect they have suffered. And helping them to connect to the world at large through meaningful experiences, normalcy, and healthy relationships with caring adults helps our children make space for joy and gratitude. After the hurricane, our children were involved in clean-up and found the experience rewarding. Monthly our children are giving back to the community that has given so much to them—creating happiness, building stronger relationships, and the skills to deal with adversity. I am honored to be even a small part of their lives and growth, and I thank you for providing us with the funding for our programs that create transformational change in our youth.