12 Days of Giving Back
The holiday season is a time for giving. And what better way to give back than to support children and families impacted by foster care? At Skookum Kids, we’re on a mission to create brighter futures for kids and families, and we’ve put together 12 meaningful ways you can help make a difference. Whether you want to give your time, your resources, or your heart, there’s something for everyone.
1. Fund a Night at the Landing
A volunteer comforts a kiddo at the Landing, Skookum’s emergency shelter in Bellingham, WA. We’re looking for more folks with experience working with kids to join our team. Could that be you?
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, called the Landing, solves what we call “The 72 Hour Problem” by providing a place for children to stabilize and buying time for social workers to find the kids’ next best place.
The first 72 hours in foster care are critical, and the Landing provides safety and comfort during this time. It costs $120 to care for one child for one full day at the Landing. You’ll ensure that a child has a secure place to land during a difficult transition. Provide a night of safety for a child.
2. Volunteer at the Landing
Care for kids entering foster care by volunteering at our emergency shelter, the Landing. Volunteers play games, cook meals, watch movies, and ride bikes with the children. We get to be a listening ear and help turn what can be a traumatic time into one filled with fun memories.
Children entering foster care for the first time spend 72 hours at the Landing. We take care of the kiddos’ every need, which buys crucial time for social workers to find the best possible next placement. It’s a hands-on way to make a meaningful impact in the life of a child going through a hard time. Join our team of awesome volunteers.
3. Become a Foster Champion
We’re looking for people to join our team of Foster Champions with a monthly gift of any amount. It’s the most effective way to help kids and families affected by foster care! Start your monthly gift today. Your pledge of support is a promise to care, a commitment to ride the wave with the kids and families who are enduring an unthinkable experience, showing up for them every month in faithful compassion.
4. Host a Skookum Benefit Event
Skookum supporters enjoy cocktail hour at our annual gala event, “Eat, Drink & Be Giving”
Ever thought about hosting an event to support Skookum Kids? We’ve created a resource sheet to guide you through the process with tips and best practices. You could put on a bake sale or car wash or even a concert, dinner, or other larger-scale events.
You’ll spread awareness about foster care, raise money to help kids and families and rally your community around a good cause. Check out the full resource sheet.
5. Become a Mentor
Interested in building an ongoing, meaningful relationship with a child? In our mentor program, children and youth are matched with a safe, caring adult who gives the child regular, undivided attention.
Skookum Mentors might help with homework, go get ice cream, attend sports practices, or just hang out. That time together can make a lasting impact on a young life and their family. Learn more about becoming a mentor.
6. Special Volunteer Opportunities
From monthly events like Family Night Out to our annual family camp, Camp Skookum, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Volunteer solo or with a group and discover how fulfilling it can be to help kids thrive. Find your volunteer fit.
Foster parent support group: We hold 6 support groups a year where childcare is covered by volunteers so foster parents can connect with other caregivers and receive training.
We hope that foster families can get a chance to breathe and pick up a few tools along the way. This is an easy way to volunteer with a small group or for those under 21.
Family night out: Once a month, we invite all reunified and foster families from nearby Whatcom and Skagit Counties to drop off their children with us for a night out. Community volunteers like you give children an evening of fun while their caregivers enjoy time going out!
Ideal for groups or those under 21 years old, Family Night Out is the easiest way to get started volunteering at Skookum Kids.
Camp Skookum: We’d love to have you volunteer to help make Camp Skookum amazing this year. It’s our weekend family camp just for reunified families. Are you passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of children? Join us at Camp Skookum, where your time and talents can create unforgettable summer memories for kids in foster care and those recently reunified with their families.
Come for the entire weekend, or just a few hours. Join us this year as a volunteer at Camp Skookum!
Help keep families together by donating today.
7. Keep a Family Together
We can keep kids safe at home. Foster care is removing children from a dangerous situation and placing them somewhere safe temporarily. It is painful for everyone, but sometimes necessary.
More often, a little proactive support can keep families intact and safe. By supporting Skookum Family Partnership, you’ll provide critical resources and encouragement to parents working to be the best version of themselves for their kids. Donate to help a family.
8. Become a Foster Parent
The people with the most opportunity to create a positive impact for children in foster care are the adults who care for them on a daily basis. Foster parenting is both rewarding 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.
Skookum Kids supports foster families through every step of the journey, from licensing to their last placement. Would you be willing to open your heart and home to a child and their family? Learn about fostering.
9. fulFill our wishlist
Follow that urge to give and provide essential items for children in care by purchasing something from our Amazon Wishlist. Your support helps ensure that children have what they need to feel safe and cared for during difficult transitions.
By fulfilling our wishlist, you’re equipping Skookum Kids to provide a soft landing for kids entering foster care from all over Northwest Washington. There are specific needs on there (like every size of socks, shoes, and pajamas) that we need to keep on hand so the Landing is ready to serve any kid that enters the door.
We host an annual family camp for reunified families called Camp Skookum!
10. Celebrate Reunification
We pride ourselves on our ability to help biological families reunify. We facilitate visits 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.
We also host an annual family camp for reunified families as well as monthly respite for families, called Family Night Out.
We work hard to reunify families. Supporting reunification helps keep families connected and creates opportunities for lasting change. Share what you’ve learned about reunification with a friend or family member.
11. Contribute to Skookum’s Endowment Fund
Help ensure that Skookum Kids can continue to serve the community for decades to come by contributing to our endowment fund. Your gift creates a legacy of care and support for children and families. Email jessica@skookumkids.org for more info and to contribute.
12. Intern With US!
Skookum interns directly care for children placed at the Landing while gaining valuable experience and insight into how a non-profit works. This is a unique opportunity to help kids and grow professionally.
One intern said, “Interning with Skookum has been so rewarding. I love getting to be a part of all the little moments at the Landing. It’s an honor getting to work with these kids.” Apply to become an intern.
There are so many ways you can make a difference! Whether it’s through time, resources, or advocacy, your involvement creates real and lasting change for children and families affected by foster care. This community is amazing. Thank you for considering if you can step up in a new way to help children thrive. Together, we will build brighter futures for kids and stronger communities.