GGHI Welcomes New Member, Fosterful!

Greater Grays Harbor, Inc., Grays Harbor County’s Regional Economic Development Council and Chamber of Commerce Officially Welcomes Onboard, Fosterful!

“Fosterful, a nonprofit organization, is a community of qualified volunteers partnering with child welfare offices to provide a nurturing environment for children entering foster care.

Our volunteers keep children occupied and safe while social workers work behind the scenes to arrange for their long-term care, often having conversations not suited for children’s ears. We fill little bellies that may not have eaten in some time, bring tissues where there are tears, and put stuffies in the arms of kids who have had everything taken from them. Our volunteers are there in the child welfare offices to sit with kids so they aren’t alone on their hardest days.

Fosterful serves inside the Child Welfare Office and has locations throughout Washington and Idaho. Our local office is the Department of Children, Youth and Families in Aberdeen.

The current Fosterful Executive Director is Sarah Desjarlais. Sarah was a foster parent who saw kids sitting alone in the office while social workers were making phone calls to find the children homes. She saw a gap in the system and made change by going to the DCYF offices and spending time with kids. Our goal is to have kids be emotionally regulated heading into their placement, leading to less fear and less placement changes.

Since COVID we have wrapped our arms around the foster care community and help with holiday parties, meeting basic needs, doing social worker appreciation events and more.”

Volunteers are needed in Grays Harbor County. Visit the website and click ‘volunteer’ to put in a request for more info!