For a foster kid, any day can be moving day.
Foster children live in an uncertain world. Stability and permanence, things that most children can take for granted, are not guaranteed to foster kids. They can be moved frequently, and with very little notice, leaving with just a plastic trash bag filled with their possessions. Foster kids get used to leaving behind favorite toys and stuffed animals, saying goodbye to neighbors and friends, and changing schools time and again. All too often, entering the foster care system means losing a sense of identity and purpose.
Can foster kids thrive without community support?
Probably not. Even the best foster parents, with stable homes and adequate personal and financial resources, are hard-pressed to meet all the needs of a child whose world has been turned upside down by the realities of child abuse and neglect. The state covers a mere 60% of the costs of basic care, leaving foster parents to face a chronic gap.
Treehouse fills the gaps.
Since 1988, Treehouse has filled the gaps for foster kids, providing services that no other agency addresses: money for extra-curricular activities and summer camp, professional educational support services, resources to fully participate in the everyday activities of growing up, clothing and supplies to help them fit in at school.
What We Do
We know what we do works. Academic success, combined with social and recreational enrichment, is the key to opportunity for children coping with the effects of abuse and neglect. Treehouse serves foster kids with six programs:
- The Wearhouse is a free store where kids shop for clothing they need in styles they want, along with school supplies, toys, books and other essentials.
- Little Wishes pays for activities and experiences that every child deserves – things as small as hair care and as big as bass lessons.
- Summer Camp sends kids on adventures that create memories for a lifetime.
- Tutoring helps bridge the educational achievement gap between foster kids and their classmates from more stable homes.
- Educational Advocacy works statewide to protect students’ educational rights and remove barriers to school success. This is the only Treehouse program that operates beyond King County.
- Coaching-to-College gives kids support as they follow their dreams for the future.
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