Meet Alice
Alice has been volunteering with Skookum Kids for over one year! She said about the Landing, “I really love helping every single kid that comes in here feel at home and feel safe and taken care of.”
She’s been a volunteer with Skookum Kids for more than a year now. Alice does everything from helping with events to overnight shifts at our emergency shelter to helping at Camp Skookum. Alice is something of a superhero. Not all volunteers wear so many hats. We had a chance to sit down with her and ask what it’s like volunteering at the Landing, our emergency shelter for children entering foster care.
What do you do when you arrive for your shift at the Landing?
When I arrive at The Landing, I usually drop my stuff off in the office and check out the paperwork information available about the child and the communication logs to figure out all the information on the current kid that we’re housing. After that, I usually introduce myself to the kids and they take the lead on what we’re going to do today.
What activities do you usually do?
The activities that we usually choose from are going to the park and biking – the kids love to be outside. If they’re not feeling up to that, we also really like to do arts and crafts, and some nights we get to do movie nights which is really fun.
What foods do the kids like to eat?
The kids usually love their snacks. We try to incorporate meals with fruits and vegetables, but for a lot of these kids, they just like to eat their comfort foods.
What is the nighttime routine like?
When the kids come into our care, we usually are pretty quick about getting them into a bath. We have a ton of bath toys that they love to play with. And then from there, we love to show them their rooms, get them into their PJs, and start the nighttime routine.
Check out this short video about Alice and the Landing.
What do you do at the end of your shift?
When the shift is coming to a close, I help catch the next volunteers up on what the kid is like, their interests, and whatnot. Then I always record that information in the communication logs too, to help future volunteers.
What do you love about Skookum Kids?
I love Skookum Kids because I love the community between the volunteers and the staff. I really love helping every single kid that comes in here feel at home and feel safe and taken care of.
What is the most rewarding experience you’ve had?
I think the most rewarding moment I’ve had was with a pretty young kid who only spoke Spanish and didn’t really understand what was going on. Bedtimes were difficult because we couldn’t really communicate with him. Then one of my second or third times trying to put him to bed, he grabbed onto me and we just soothed each other and it was really great. He went to bed super easily after that and I just felt,
Alice cares for a little one at Camp Skookum, our annual summer camp for reunified families
“Wow, maybe I’m good at this.”
One of my shifts, we had this 11-year-old kid who was super, super sick. So he’d been staying home and, you know, watching TV all day. When I got there for my night shift, we started talking and talking and talking. At one point, I had to go get him tea because he was coughing so bad. I heard him whisper to his sister, “Man, I got to think up more stories to tell her!” I love knowing that he loved telling me about his life.
What have you gained from volunteering with Skookum?
I’ve learned a lot about how different people process trauma, different kids process trauma and all of the different ways that you can soothe others and self-soothe as well. It’s been very insightful in understanding the world around me. Every single time I leave a shift, I love feeling that I’ve made a difference in these kids' lives, even if it’s just for a few hours. They felt safe and comforted, and that’s all I really need to know.
Alice cares for a little one at Camp Skookum, our annual summer camp for reunified families
Do you have anything else you’d like to share?
If you’re interested in volunteering with Skookum, I think it’s pretty incredible. It can be scary at first, but pretty quickly you get used to it and you get really good at it. It’s an incredibly rewarding feeling.
We’re so grateful for Alice. If you see her around, say “Hi!” and thank her for all her hard work!
Get Involved!
Love kids? Have a heart for children and families affected by foster care? It takes a village and we’d love for you to be part of ours! Our opportunities are plentiful and flexible. Children from all over Northwest Washington spend their first days in foster care at our emergency shelter house, The Landing. In those first turbulent hours, children have a soft landing where they’re well cared for and provided safety and security. This important work is done by a team of 60+ volunteers (just like you!)