Children’s Home Provides Safe Haven By David Kapitan, Staff Writer VAN ZANDT NEWS, Sunday, February 24, 2013 For hundreds of children throughout the years, the Van Zandt County Children’s Home has provided a lifeline from dire and unfortunate circumstances. The home, run by Eric and Karen Roberts since December 2012, was started in 1978. Children arrive at the home for a variety of reasons, including, in some instances, being placed there by Child Protective Services. Eric, who has worked with youths since 1990 and was inspired to become a foster parent by a younger brother, explained, “The kids that end up here at the Children’s Home are not bad kids. A lot of times, they are just the victims of bad situations.” Karen, Eric’s wife, stated, “We want to help provide these kids a good home and a real shot at life.” Eric added, “Sometimes there’s this misconception or stigma that the people that run these homes are just in it for the money and that’s just not true. Everything we do here is for the kids.” The Roberts live full-time in the Children’s Home, along with their two teenage children. Karen explained the family dynamic at the home by noting, “We don’t treat the kids that come into this home any differently than our own. How can you teach about love and family if you treat them differently?” While they are staying at the home, the children are given basics that often get taken for granted, including three meals a day, allowances, and basic medical care including doctor’s visits and check-ups. All of the children at the home attend school in Fruitvale and attend church as a family. The length of time the children spend at the home varies from situation to situation. Some of the children are reunited with their families, while others move on to foster or adoptive families. Children who turn 18 in the home and graduate from high school can make their own choices about returning to their families, moving out on their own, or staying in the home and furthering their education in a college or vocational school. Eric explained that the most surprising thing to come out of his position as a registered foster parent is “how easy it is to take the little things for granted. To see the way a kid’s eyes light up at getting a pair of shoes, or getting told good job for doing something is just amazing.” Karen pointed to the attachment she feels towards the children who are moving on, stating, “It really becomes hard not to think of them as your own.” The Van Zandt County Children’s Home is owned by the Van Zandt County Children’s Shelter, Inc, a non-profit corporation run by a board of directors composed of local residents. The board of directors, consisting of president Kerry Cartier, vice-president Jennifer Jones, treasurer Kimbra Pettiet, and members Debbie Vaughn and Eric Roberts, helps to ensure the children arriving and staying at the home are given more than the basic needs paid for by the state. The board helps to provide Christmas and birthday parties, purchase clothing in case of emergency, school supplies, and school pictures. Cartier, who has been a Scoutmaster for 25 years, first became involved with the Children’s Home when one of the children living there approached him about scouting. Cartier noted, “Last year, we had about $2,850 in donations from people in Van Zandt County. It sounds cliché, but it’s really amazing how many people care about kids, how many people are willing to take the time and spend their hard-earned money without ever seeing the results.” Those wishing to contribute can send a check, made out to “Van Zandt County Children’s Home,” to the Van Zandt County Children’s Home, P.O. Box 150, Fruitvale, TX, 75117.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 04:05:31 +0000
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