How we approach the Work
At Skookum Kids, we believe in building resilient communities where children experiencing foster care can thrive.
Roughly 7,000 kids in Washington State were in foster care in 2023.
Lack of support for parents, mental illness, addiction, and poverty can all play a role in why kids are removed from their homes. These are huge systemic issues that children end up paying for.
Our programs at Skookum work together to make sure kids are safe, taken care of by healthy adults, and that they know how loved and valuable they are while their lives are turned upside down.
Skookum licenses foster parents, places kids in loving homes, cares for kids at our emergency shelter in Northwest Washington, and supports families rebuilding after time apart.
It’s been 8 years and we've seen more than 800 kids come through the doors of our emergency shelter. Since 2018, 259 children have been thoughtfully placed in Skookum homes.
When we work together, we see these kids heal, thrive, and find a sense of stability until they transition back to their families, are placed with a relative, or are adopted into forever homes.
There is a place for everyone in the work of repairing foster care. Whether as a foster parent, volunteer, advocate, or mentor, your skills and giftings could be used to make a huge impact on the kids in our city. If you have a heart for kids, and share the vision of a more resilient community, we would love to meet you.
History
In 2013 Ray Deck visited a neighborhood association meeting and just happened to sit at the same table with a career social worker. They talked about the state of child welfare in the region and about how some simple, common sense solutions would go a long way to improving the lives of children, foster parents, and social workers alike.
They each invited a few friends to meet at a coffee shop and discuss those ideas the following week. And at that coffeeshop, Skookum Kids was born. Our first program—The Landing, a house in which we care for children their first few days of foster care—opened in mid-2014. Since then, the organization has grown in both depth and breadth, doubling in size by every major metric each year of its early history.
Get in touch
We would love nothing more than to talk with you about foster care, the reforms we aspire to, or how you can get involved.
info@skookumkids.org
360-975-3380
Key Leaders
Founding Director
Ray Deck III
A serial intrapreneur, Ray Deck III has a decade of experience inciting change from within complex organizations. He leads Skookum Kids, a not-for-profit that aspires to nothing less than total reform of the foster care system.
In addition to his work at Skookum, he serves as Treasurer at the Washington Association for Children Youth & Families and as a member of the Child Welfare Advocacy Coalition.
When he’s not wrestling with bureaucracy, you can find him running behind a double stroller. But you should go look for him. He has a terrible sense of direction, and is probably lost.
Director of Programs
Abby Smith
After graduating from Seattle Pacific University, Abby returned to Bellingham to pursue her passion for trouble makers. She leads a team of 6 staff and 100+ volunteers to care for children in their most vulnerable days at Skookum House, and to give foster parents some well-deserved time off in the Skookum Mentors and Foster Family Night Out programs.
When she's not wrangling children and volunteers, you can find her searching for cheap international flights, hidden waterfalls, and her car keys.
Director of Development
Jessica Hess
Born and raised in the PNW, Jessica has a BA in Human Services from WWU and over a decade of nonprofit fundraising and marketing experience. She and her husband Karl answered the call to be foster parents in 2017 and have since cared for 4 kiddos and counting. Jessica loves going on walks (usually with her labradoodle, Cliff), reading, and listening to music. Want to get involved at Skookum Kids? She would love to meet with you!
Operations Manager
Gina Russell
Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, Gina has business operations in her blood.
After college in Oregon and finishing right here at WWU, Gina had a very successful career in the food and service industry. As the previous owner two successful businesses and love of children, she comes to Skookum Kids as the operations manager.
A mom of two active girls, she is often on the field, on the mountain, or on her bike pedaling amongst the trees. If you would like to reach out, send an email because she has most likely lost her phone.