Featured photo: A ribbon cutting was held for the Whaley Hope House on August 9.
Written by Tanya Terry, with photos courtesy of Whaley Children’s Center
Every year, 1,300 kids age out of foster care in Michigan alone.
Jennifer Koester, director of Independent Living at Whaley Children’s Center, pointed out most of these kids are leaving the foster care system without support and don’t have anywhere to go.
Creators of the Whaley Hope House, for which a ribbon cutting was held August 9, aim to improve upon the situation for some of these young people.
“We saw the need to open an independent living home to support our kids who have been a part of the Whaley family, or kids who have been in foster care from all over the state to keep them moving forward,” Koester said. “Transitioning into adulthood is difficult for anyone, especially when you don’t have that support. So, we see these kids with grave statistics like unemployment, early pregnancy, drug and substance use, homelessness – and we just wanted to be part of bridging that gap between foster care and independence.”
Although approximately 25 independent living homes exist throughout the state, Koester stated it’s not enough.
She added: “As our kids who had grown up and beyond our care were still coming back to us for not having anywhere to spend Christmas, or needing support with bills, we saw this population of kids needs more.”
Whaley opened Journey Home two years ago, a boys’ independent living program.
“Based on the success and stories that we’ve got to be a part of through that program, we knew we needed to open a second one. That’s where Hope House came in.”
The Hope House will take a multi-service approach, providing for the physical, emotional and social needs of young ladies between ages 16-21.
“Each kid has an individual need and goals for themselves. So, we’re looking at it from all angles…We’ll look at medical, dental and mental health needs…and how to work that big scary system.”
Whether the young lady wants to finish high school, go to trade school, go to the military, to college or join the work force, the staff at the Hope House is there to support them in reaching their dreams.
“We help with housing after they leave our program and into the next step of their life.”
According to Koester, the staff also understands the importance of Hope House participants having time to be a kid.
“The expectation on these kids is high. They have to be working or going to school full-time, or a combination of the two. They have to do four hours of independent living skills with a coach every week. They pay rent. They grocery shop. They cook. They clean, and in there somewhere they’ve got to be a kid too!”
The young ladies are exposed to everything from museums to games, and everything in between to enrich their experiences.
Koester pointed out that many foster kids have endured trauma other kids haven’t had to endure. Still, at the Hope House, they will be taught to trust and be confident in their abilities to be productive in society.
The young ladies will learn “the basics,” such as what to take when they have a headache, which some of them haven’t learned because they have not been in a traditional home setting.
On the other hand, budgeting, how to apply for an apartment or for financial aid for college, how to buy a car and get car insurance quotes or how to get a driver’s license could be skills they learn while in the independent living home.
“That’s the job of a parent most of the time.”
The Hope House will provide services for six young ladies at a time in a very home-like setting so they can both be comfortable and thrive.
The Hope House by Whaley is located at 3506 Lennon Rd, in Flint
