Overnight Shifts at Our Emergency Shelter

No one can plan for the day or hour that a child is placed into foster care. Situations that require the removal of a child for safety can happen at anytime, and Skookum Kids always wants to be in a position to help. That’s why at The Landing, our emergency house, we keep it open 24/7. And it’s run almost entirely by our loyal volunteers.

This does two things:

1) Kids can come at any time.

2) They can stay for more than one day.

So what’s an overnight shift like?

When you volunteer at The Landing, you sign up for 1 shift each month. Some people pick dinner time, others pick the mornings or afternoons. But there’s also an opportunity to take the night shift.

The main goal with overnights is to help kids get a good night sleep and feel assured that someone is there for them first thing in the morning.

Volunteers for this shift arrive around 9pm, after our little guests have finished dinner. You will sign in and relieve the previous volunteers. They will fill you in on anything that’s worth noting about the kid(s) and where they are at in their nighttime routine.

Once you get acquainted with the kids, you may watch an episode of a show or play one final game. Then it’s time to assist kids with getting ready for bed. Depending on the ages, this could be brushing teeth, bath time, and picking out jammies to wear. Once kids are ready for bed, you get them to their bedrooms and read a few stories before turning out the lights.

There are some beautiful moments shared with these children that you might otherwise miss during the day. Sometimes it looks like rocking a baby to sleep, telling some of your favorite bedtime stories, or even playing the “toothfairy” for a kid who lost their tooth during their stay. In the mornings, you get to be an assuring face they see when they wake up.

Around 7 or 8am, the next round of volunteers will come and you can go home once you’ve signed out.

Overnight shifts at The Landing are incredibly important for kids to feel safe at the house. Watch this short video walking through an overnight shift. If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, please reach out to us. :)