OT - New things on the horizon???? | Arthritis Information

Children in Crisis is almost home.

With a few final touches, a new foster home and emergency shelter will be ready to house local foster children by the end of the year.

"Hundreds of children will be helped by this building every year," said CIC executive director Ken Hair.

The new buildings are just the first phase of the Children’s Neighborhood off Hurlburt Road, which Hair hopes will provide safe and secure homes for area children, without disrupting their lives.

Many foster children are moved up to 10 times per year, said CIC board member Janice Henderson.

"That’s a lot of moving," she said.

Currently, 20 percent of foster children in Okaloosa and Walton counties are placed outside of the county. About 45 percent of foster children are separated from their siblings.

"There are people who are wonderful foster parents. There just aren’t enough of them," Hair said.

The first of its kind in Okaloosa or Walton counties, the new neighborhood should allow children to stay in their county and even remain at the same school.

The emergency shelter, which can house up to 12 children, will prevent siblings from being separated during times of crisis.

The new foster care home will serve up to eight children and a set of full-time foster parents.

CIC leases its 20-acre site from Okaloosa-Walton College for per year.

Eventually, the group plans to install additional foster homes, a neighborhood center, pavilion and playground.

"Whatever the need is, that’s what we’re trying to do," Hair said.

But it won’t come without a cost.

Hair estimates it will take about 0,000 a year to sustain the first two facilities alone. He hopes the community will continue to embrace the project and more importantly its children.

"I wish we weren’t needed," Hair said. "But it’s not a perfect world."

This was in my local paper. The facility is RIGHT around the corner from my house, and I've been eagerly awaiting someone to tell me what the heck it was they were building. Now I'm giddy as a school girl. I just finished e-mailing the administrator of Children In Crisis to see if they are hiring. I would give a limb to work there. I have my fingers crossed. And butterflies in my belly, waiting for a reply!!

Here's the website if you'd like to read more about it:

www.childrenincrisisfl.org

CROSS YOUR FINGERS WITH ME!!!!!!

Good luck Katie, what great job satisfaction you would feel? I hope you get the job, all the best, Janie. Janie! I hope there IS a job!!! GOOD LUCK KATIE- I HOPE YOU FIND OUT SOMETHING POSITIVE.I THINK YOU WOULD GET SO MUCH OUT OF A JOB LIKE THAT < =text/>_popupControl(); GOOD LUCK!!! I know how bad you want this and how much you love to work with these kids. They will surely benefit from you being with them.

Katie...that would be excellent for you and for those girls. I would love to see you get that. I will add it to my Katie and Justin list of prayers.

I'll write you a letter of recommendation if you need it!

This sounds perfect for you. If it doesn't work out right now, keep trying, because this is an excellent choice for you.

mack,a;sdydsssssssa;s - Crap that didn't work, I tried typing with my fingers crossed for you. I'll cross them in spirit, okay?

LOL Thanks guys.

The other cool thing is that it's on College property, so I'm sure they have their fingers in it somehow. And if I get this pell grant and get back into school.....I could still get in there somehow. Oh, and they have volunteer programs too, so there's always that. :)

As the song says:

"This could be the start of something BIG!"

Oh, fingers crossed AND prayers.

Let us know,

Pip

I JUST GOT AN APPLICATION AND THEY ARE HIRING!!!!! I am so excited! Good luck Katie! I was a foster mother for "parenting teens" for several years. It was a difficult but rewarding job.

Oh Katie! How wonderful! My prayers are with you. It would be a perfect fit for you. If they are connected with the college, could you get college credit for it or what?

In any case, I want you to know that I'm with you in spirit. You should have this job. There was a reason it's going in where it is and that you read about it and called while they're hiring. I think maybe this is where you are supposed to be. Do you know what the job would be?

I'm just so excited for you... please let us know when you find out anything!

Big hugs and positive thoughts, Nini

Good Luck Katie

This is awesome! I'm so glad they're hiring. Fingers crossed for you.