Sally's House

Doesn't anybody want me?

The daily news is filled with stories of drug busts and domestic violence. When the law must intervene, and children are removed from a dangerous home, where do they go?

They go to Sally’s House, the only emergency foster care program in Spokane.

Before there was a Sally's House, children were taken from unfit homes to a caseworker's office where they could wait several hours for the first available foster home. During this long wait, one little girl asked, "Doesn't anybody want me?"

The staff at the Dept. of Children & Family Services were burdened by her statement. After partnering with The Salvation Army, Sally's House was created so children would immediately have a place to stay until the best fit home is found.

Reasons For Placement

• Drug use in the home or a drug bust
• A failed foster placement
• Abuse and/or neglect
• A parent has been arrested
• A sex offender in the child's home

Placement After Sally’s House

After their time at Sally's House, children may go to a foster home, they may return home after situation has been corrected, or live with an approved relative.

While at Sally’s House

Often children arrive upset, disoriented, and with little more than the clothes on their back. While at Sally’s House they receive:

• Clean clothes and personal toiletries.
• Three meals and two snacks per day.
• Instruction in life and social skills.
• Daily tutoring or assistance with school work.
• Daily activities in the gym, playground, indoor swimming pool, and game room.
• Supervised visitations and phone calls with family (if approved by caseworker).
• Transportation to their original school (through the HEART program).
• Books, toys, and a personal quilt.
• On-site counseling and psychosocial evaluation.

Safe From Harm

There are several measures taken to ensure that Sally’s House is a safe place for children:

• Staff & volunteers must pass a criminal background check.
• Staff &anp; volunteers are trained to be able to identify those who abuse and those who have been abused.
• A minimum of two staff are present with the children at all times.
• Staff are trained in First Aid & CPR.

Sally's House's Wish List

We rely on the kindness of other individuals to help us meet the needs of the children we serve. You can help with your donation of these new or slightly used items:

• Children's clothing (including socks, underwear, and pajamas)
• Children's toys, games, stuffed animals, books, and movies
• Craft and School supplies
• Blankets, quilts and pillows
• Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and hairbrushes)
• Swimsuits
• White towels and wash cloths

Fund a Field-Trip

The children enjoy going on field trips during their stay. This allows them to participate in fun and educational adventures outside of Sally's House. Field trips can include, but are not limited to, movies, parks, theatres and museums. With your assistance, we can pay for entrance fees, tickets and travel expenses.

How to Help

If you wish to help in any of the above ways, contact:

Becky Hoogstad, Sally's House Director

Tel: (509) 325-6826

Sally's House Professional Services

Vision Statement

We envision a counseling program where children are nurtured with love andcompassion by empathetic, patient, and committed counselors.

We will extend comfort and emotional support to children dealing with family stress and trauma.

We desire to meet the unique physical, social, educational, and emotional needs of the children with understanding and encouragement.

We will connect with every child so that they leave our program knowing that they are important and loved.

Individual and Group Counseling

Counseling will be provided onsite by registered and certified counselors who have a strong ethical philosophy and educational background related to children and families as well as experience with children in the foster care setting.

Counseling will focus on strengths based and solutions focused models that assist children in building resiliency.

Through research based best practices and techniques including play therapy, counselors will assist children in processing the events, thoughts, and emotions felt in their lives.

Onsite counseling provides an opportunity for children to readily receive access to counseling services without caseworkers needing to modify their schedules or arrange for transportation.

Counseling program will utilize a measurement system to track client progress.

Assessment and Evaluation: Onsite developmental assessments and psychosocial evaluations are provided conducted by the registered counselors.

As a Counselling Program, we believe:

• Every child is unique and unrepeatable.
• All children have the capacity to learn.
• Children want to be know and understood by others
• Children are social creatures and have need for relationships.
• Children are easily influenced therefore socialized by their cultures.
• Children are emotional, cognitive, and physical beings.
• Children have the capacity for curiosity and wonder.
• Children are able to rationalize and make choices.
• Children hold beliefs and belief systems.
• Children behave in ways that have been reinforced through their experiences.
• Children have the capacity to love and be loved.
• Children communicate physically and verbally.
• Children have the capacity, to varying degrees, to be resilient and endure obstacles in struggles in their lives.

As a Counselling Program, we value:

• A safe, friendly, secure environment that acknowledges individual differences.
• Positive, nurturing, empathetic professionals who work to form positive relationships with children.
• A well-educated staff that provides services to children who are respectful, honorable, and considerate.