WHAT WE DO
Skookum Kids exists to mobilize communities to create a healthy foster care system.
The landing
Entering foster care can be incredibly scary and confusing. We provide a soft landing for children when they enter foster care at our emergency shelter in Bellingham. This house solves what we call “The 72 Hour Problem” by providing a place for children to stabilize and buying time for social workers.
Respite
Foster parents do amazing work but they are human, and they need breaks too. Respite care allows foster parents to get trusted and trauma-informed care for the kids that they care for, while they get some time off. We provide respite care by licensing respite caregivers and through events like Foster Family Night Out.
Foster Parents
The people with the most opportunity to create a positive impact for children in foster care are the adults that care for them on a daily basis. Foster parenting is important and challenging. So we make sure foster parents are as prepared as possible, well supported, and backed by our attentive team of Foster Care Specialists.
Family time
We pride ourselves on our ability to help biological families reunify. We facilitate visitation between kids and their biological families to keep family connections alive and support reunification. In any given year we facilitate hundreds of visits between a child and their biological family.
wHO WE ARE
OUR IMPACT
A way for anyone to participate in foster care
The world is full of people who want to help but don't know how, so we crafted a suite of volunteer opportunities so that everyone can participate in this important work.
These opportunities include helping out with one-time events, working a few hours a month at The Landing (our emergency housing for foster kids), mentorship, and getting licensed as a foster parent.
8+
Counties served
Kids and families are facing big problems in every community across the state of Washington. We are creating local solutions that address these problems with the help of people just like you!
9+
Years Serving kids and families
Skookum Kids has a proven track record of relieving pain points in foster care. We learn and grow with every community member and organization that we partner with.
87%
Reunified children
87% of children who come through Skookum Kids eventually reunify with their family of origin (birth parents or relatives).