From entrance into the program to graduation, your gifts are making a difference in the daily lives of our children.
When you’re going through a major change in your life, it can help to talk to someone who has already been there. Friends Autumn, a 2017 children’s home graduate, and Bridget, a 10-year-old girl who is new to the children’s home, sat down and connected at either end of a shared experience.
Q: What did you think when you first came to the children’s home?
A: At the time, I was 10 years old and didn’t know myself well. I thought it was so beautiful here, but I also felt strange because I was used to moving around a lot. I wasn’t used to having everything I needed in one place.
B: I was scared because I was away from family, and I’ve never been away from my family before, but I’m okay now. Now I really like it here, and I have friends I can play with and people I can talk to.
Q: What advice do you have for each other?
A: I would say never stop asking questions and always learn from other people. Here, you can learn to build your character and learn responsibility and how to be independent.
B: What does independent mean again? Like learning how to print off your own grades from the computer?
A: Something like that.
B: Wherever you go, you can always think of us, and whenever someone is mean to you, you can always think of us. Also, don’t get stressed too much and always have fun no matter what you’re doing.
Q: Where do you see yourselves in the future?
B: I see myself driving a sports car and graduating from here. I will probably cry because I would miss everyone.
A: It’s weird to think about the future because I’ve been here for so long. Now that it’s ending, I realize how grateful I am because this is the one home I’ve had that I haven’t moved out of. It’s been the one thing that’s been constant in my life.
Q: What are your favorite memories with house parents?
B: I like going out to run errands when all of us are in the van. We get to listen to music and do funny dances. Everyone is like a mix of friends and sisters. I just like the house parents here because if you ever make a mistake, they help you fix it.
A: I’m going to miss their advice. When you have a bad day, it’s nice to know someone is there for you. We used to watch 80s movies together. It was so much fun. I’m also going to miss their cooking. Miss G is the world’s best baker – I love her pound cake!
Q: What would you say to the people who give money to the children’s home?
A: Before I came here, I didn’t have nice things. I never got new clothes or things that I needed. I would just want to thank them, because they don’t know how much they’ve changed my life.
B: Some of the money I’ve been saving in my pouch, I would give to them because they gave money to help me.