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Department of Human Services    Visitation Rooms Project

Update:

The four Linn County DHS client visitation rooms and a bathroom have been completed!

The response has been overwhelmingly:  Clients look forward to coming to the DHS office to visit with their children.  Clients will fight over which room they get to use, and stay in the rooms the entire visitation time - leaving only to use the microwave.  It has been so nice to have complete toys and games with all the pieces, and soft, inviting sofas and other furniture.

DHS staff members are also very appreciate of the positive changes.  They were pleased with the number of volunteers who helped (75 in all) and really like all the improvements made to the rooms, and are seeing a positive influence in their clients.

Though the refurbishing is complete, we plan to continue to provide the DHS office with toys, as they are needed.

Proposal:

To create a warm and "home-like" environment for four Linn County DHS client visitation rooms and provide toys for Linn and Benton County child care.

There are still ways to become involved to help complete the project.  DHS staff have provided a list of items they would like to see in the visitation rooms (books, games, interactive toys, furniture.)  We have created a wish list registry at the following stores: K-Mart, Target, WalMart, and Bed, Bath & Beyond.  To view more information click here.

Ways to volunteer and contribute to our Family Visitation Rooms Project:

1. Shop from a wish list registry for toys, games and books.  To view the registry information click here.  Check with Peggy Collins or Sheri Albin for more information.

2. Contribute materials.  Check with Bobbye Koeper or Sheri Albin as to what they need.

3. Volunteer time: painting, cleaning, moving furniture, making quilts or other decorative items. Check with Judy Findley or Sheri Albin for details.

4. Make a financial contribution.

Description:

Currently there are four rooms at the Linn County DHS office where parents can come to meet with their children who have been placed in foster care homes.  The surroundings are stark, undecorated and have an institutional atmosphere.  The furniture is not appealing and areas have limited and often broken toys.  Creating a setting that is more home-like and adding interactive toys will enable parents and children to have a more positive connection.

Visitation rooms need to be painted, decorated, supplied with comfortable furniture and usable toys.

The project is scheduled to be completed during the month of June and will involve a number of people with a variety of passions, levels of investment and giftedness, allowing many opportunities for hands-on participation.

Sheri Albin, one of our board members, is coordinating the project.  You may contact her through our office 541.757.1761.

The next phase of involvement could include mentoring youth or families, becoming a foster family, developing relationships with DHS staff and clients, and/or giving financially to future projects.

Some DHS Facts:

• Most children using the rooms are under the age of 10 years old.

• These rooms are very heavily used and haven't been redecorated in 5 years.

• DHS is giving Friends of the Family the freedom to decorate these rooms, with the understanding that they need to be functional, easily cleaned and geared towards children.

Details and Questions:

• Why is Friends of the Family, as a non-profit organization, raising funds for a government agency?  DHS endeavors to put all the funds it can into direct client services.  Despite what one might think, state agencies try to limit overhead.  The state will supply a simple family visitation space, coloring books, etc.  But, if things become worn, or a coloring book is partly used, replacing that item must justify itself against other direct services to families.  Anything over and above, such as we're trying to do with our project, isn't going to happen.
• Friends of the Family wants to bless our community and build bridges by doing the unexpected, by operating in such a way as to elicit a "Wow!" from those in the community who observe what we do.  We do this in order to break down stereotypes about the faith-based community.  We see more and more evidence that this approach bears fruit. 

For more information, please call Friends of the Family at 541.757.1761 or email us at friends@fofm.org.