January 2010

Happy Holidays from Sibling House!

It's time, once again, to bring you up to speed on what we have accomplished this past year through the help of our wonderful donors.

2009 has been another incredible year of growth for Sibling House!

We now have 97 homes in the Sibling House Network! Since our founding in 1997, we have been able to help 331 children, and 125 caregivers, by providing various forms and amounts of support. Some of these homes needed help just once, many on an ongoing basis.

We would not have been able to help these families without the generous support from our “army of angels” that makes Sibling House possible.

Some examples of the support, that your donations have enabled us to provide, to The Sibling House Network include the following:

Mentoring and Outreach Program
Typically, 40% of foster parents quit the program during the first year. The primary reasons are the financial burden and frustration of working with the system. Combining the experience of Sibling House, and veteran foster parents from the Sibling House Network, we have been able to provide guidance and material support to foster parents that are willing to take sibling groups. Some of the types of support that we have been able to provide include washers and dryers, dishwashers, mini-vans, clothing, food, diapers, furniture, especially bunk beds, vehicle and home repairs, computers and software, help with energy bills, and many other things that foster homes face that are not exciting, but nonetheless add challenges to daily life.

Project Sheltering Tree
Studies show that nearly 50% of children in foster care fail to graduate from high school. Project Sheltering Tree provides academic advocacy, and tutoring, for foster children in the Sibling House Network. Tutors work in partnership with homeroom and special education teachers and foster parents, to advocate for the needs of the child and to compliment the programs already in place. In 2009, Sibling House provided 106 hours of tutoring to 11 children, helping to bring them up to grade level.

The Outdoor Experience Program
This program focuses on offering the children and families of The Sibling House Network the opportunity to participate in the many natural resources and experiences of the Pacific Northwest. For example, a Sibling House Network camping weekend to Camano Island State Park. Camping, fishing on a stream, hiking, stargazing, campfires, “smores”, and more, are all part of the memories of childhood we have been working to add to these kid’s lives.

Enrichment Program
There's more to life than books and classrooms. Donations to Sibling House have made it possible to offer activities that improve the kid's lives. In 2009, Sibling House was able to provide support for swimming lessons, little league, trips to the theater, museums, Woodland Park Zoo, Safeco Field, art lessons, first aid classes, bowling outings, school pictures, school supplies, music lessons, a 4th of July parade, picnics, barbecues, holiday parties, and more. These are experiences that help to enrich the lives of foster children and their caregivers.

For many people, 2009 has been a year of tightening belts, and uncertain futures. The same has been true for Sibling House. And yet, we found 2009 to be a year of continued progress in our mission of keeping siblings together, as a family, while in foster care.

In spite of the tight economic times, we are inspired by the continued generosity of donors and their awareness that the welfare of foster children is still a priority.

It is through that inspiration, and your generosity, that Sibling House continues to move forward.

We Thank You from the bottom of our hearts.

You are stars in our sky!

May 2010 be fulfilling and prosperous in all the ways that you deserve!

God Bless,

Michael & Lynne Gaskill

and all the homes in The Sibling House Network!