Children are our future, and they need to be nurtured and supported.
The story of Valley of the Moon Children’s Foundation (VOMCF) begins decades ago, long before the deep and long-lasting impacts of child abuse and neglect were widely known or reported. Despite the lack of information, though, there were always children in need. In 1975, Valley of the Moon Children’s Home (VOMCH) was built on the eastern outskirts of Santa Rosa to provide a haven for youth in Sonoma County unable to remain in their family home for a number of reasons (including abuse, abandonment or neglect due to addiction, mental health or poverty). Over the years, the facility has welcomed between1,000 to 1,200 children annually, working closely with the Sonoma County Human Service Department to place many of them in foster homes, but also serving as a permanent housing solution in certain circumstances.
While serving on the bench in 1994, now-retired Judge Arnold Rosenfeld saw problems for children who were taken away from their natural homes and put into foster care. He saw a need to provide ways to enable their lives to be more normalized. “These kids are part of the future of this county and have been deprived of having the support of families,” he said, “so they need to have the support of the community.”
That year, in partnership with VOMCH and Redwood Children’s Center (RCC, part of Sonoma County Youth Services) programs, he formed Valley of the Moon Children’s Foundation (VOMCF), a private, nonprofit organization established to provide supportive and educational services for abandoned, neglected and abused children in Sonoma County. Its mission states: “We shall always persist to: 1) enrich the lives of the children while living at the home; 2) focus on areas of education, housing and employment opportunities for emancipated (aging out) children; 3) focus on areas of improved support for the foster care needs of Sonoma County; and 4) seek ways to continue educating the public about child abuse prevention.”
Rosenfeld’s initial intent was to create a discretionary fund to take children living at the home on field trips and provide birthday and Christmas presents and other extras. However, it soon became evident that the home was inadequate for its growing population. In the years since VOMCH’s founding, much had been learned about the needs of children in such situations; in addition, the original children’s home became woefully outdated. Not only was more housing/dormitory space needed, but also quiet meeting and therapy rooms, larger recreational areas and spaces to accommodate children with special developmental and physical needs. And so, in 1999, a capital campaign was launched with an eye toward construction of a new facility.
After six years of fund-raising and more than $7.5 million raised, in May 2005, new housing units and a full commercial kitchen and dining area were completed, and the kids moved in the following month. In December 2008, the final part of the project was completed, which included visiting and consulting areasm admissions, volunteer services, the Redwood Children’s Center for children who may have been sexually abused, a fully equipped medical wing and a specialized toddler area. The new VOMCH was the first county-owned facility to be registered with the United States Green Building Council for LEED Silver Certification and is part of Sonoma County’s effort to provide sustainable and environmentally sensitive facilities. Fund-raising efforts will continue to work toward the completion of other enhancements to the new home, including furnishings, equipment and other necessities, as well as an administrative wing.
A success story
At the age of six, Tanya Carvajal went into foster care at VOMCH, which is mostly considered a transition home, where children can stay until they’re placed in a permanent foster home. But going back and forth from different placements to the children’s home, Carvajal found it was the most stable place to be andwas at the VOMCH for the majority of her foster care life. “It’s the only place you can’t get kicked out of, which is why I always felt I had a place there. That gave me a feeling of safety and comfort,” she says.
At age 15, Carvajal ran away from VOMCH and, for the next year and a half, was on her own. But because she didn’t want to be “another statistic,” she became determined to graduate high school and go on to higher education. She recognized she needed support to achieve her goals and came back to Sonoma County. Once again, she was placed at VOMCH for a short time until a transition home for her was found. She graduated from Ridgway High School and, in 2010, graduated from Santa Rosa Junior College with a certificate in children in the justice system and behavioral science credits, which she can use to transfer to a university when she’s ready. “The foundation support and belief in me not only made it possible for me to continue on with my life and go to school, it helped me believe in myself,” she says.
According to its website, there are 58,343 foster youth in California, nearly 1,000 of whom are placed in Sonoma County. Once they leave foster care, the odds are immediately stacked against them. The services VOMCF provides help the youth successfully transition into independent adulthood, while providing them with a supportive community and a place to call home.
Carvajal says getting the scholarships she needed to continue her schooling made a big difference in her life, and she recognized how difficult it is for other foster children when they suddenly find themselves on their own with little direction or support. Because of her own experience, she became a founding member ofthe nonprofit Voice Our Independence Choices for Emancipation Support (VOICES), which is funded by VOMCF. VOICES is a drop-in resource center for youth ages 16 to 24, who are current or former foster children or otherwise considered “at-risk” (such as those who’ve been in the judicial system and are on probation, or those who may not know about what help is available to them and therefore don’t get the services or care they need). Today, VOMCF works in partnership with Community Foundation Sonoma County to help fund scholarship programs as well as collaborating with VOICES and SRJC to ensure a well-rounded support system for children transitioning from foster care to living on their own and seeking support for their academic goals. (VOMCF has funded VOICES $50,000 per year, for the past four years, to pay youth staff salaries.)
According to VOMCF board of directors president, Laura Colgate, VOICES, which was modeled after a similar program in Napa County, is an example of the commitment the foundation has to the children who are part of the foster care system. It fills a gap in service, providing assistance and support for those aging out of the system, a largely underserved population. The success of the program, according to Colgate, was due to the input and commitment of Carvajal, who demonstrated how her life experience and needs could help other young people making that transition.
Colgate first got involved with VOMCH in 1983 as a donor. When hired at Hewlett-Packard as a project manager, she was taken on a tour and saw a popcorn machine hidden in a corner. When she asked about it, she was told it was used for company parties and, a couple times per week, bags of popcorn were provided during breaks and lunch. Since she was interested in finding ways to raise money for disadvantaged youth in Sonoma County, she got permission to charge $0.25 per bag and donate the money collected to a local organization. What inspired her to move forward with the idea was her belief that, “As citizens, we have a responsibility to mentor and make sure we’re caring for each other.”
The project raised $2,000 in a short time. Colgate called the Human Services Department of Sonoma County and the director introduced her to VOMCH. At that time, the home was in need of a washer and dryer, food and (always) diapers. At her first visit, she got to meet the 30 children who were living there and realized it was the right organization for the donation. “Before I knew it, I became the contact personfor Hewlett-Packard and began to recognize that these children were the future and needed our support,” she says. Raising the money and distributing it helped give all those who purchased popcorn a good feeling, because they were doing something positive for the children.
“Last I checked, they were still popping corn and donating to VOMCF,” she says. “Over the years, we’ve been able to buy a washer, dryer, clothes, gifts, baby car seats and playground equipment.” Colgate went on to become director of senior nutrition services at the Meals on Wheels program at Council on Aging in Santa Rosa, and hired Carvajal as its data administrator.
Carvajal was selected by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Wine Country Chapter, for its 2013 Youth in Philanthropy Award, which recognizes an individual under the age of 25 who’s exhibited extraordinary work in philanthropy. The honoree is chosen based on four criteria: the individual’s impact, commitment, inspiration to others and creativity. Carvajal believes much of her success has been because of the support of VOMCF and, specifically, Colgate. “You need someone to believe in you,” Carvajal says.
Supporting smiles
Colgate is particularly proud of the VOMCC dental program, funded by the foundation, which has served more than 250 children this past year. It was built in 2010 and includes state-of-the-art equipment. It currently has six local dentists and three hygienists who volunteer to create treatment plans and provide cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants and fillings along with addressing dental emergencies, oral health education and coordinating care with outside providers for higher-level dental needs, including those who need sedation. The dental program is now serving children between the ages of one and six who are placed in emergency foster homes.
Except for its director, Dr. Jack Sherman, all the dentists and staff are volunteers. Dr. Heather Anderson, who’s been volunteering for 18 months, was inspired to volunteer when she heard about the program from a friend and wanted to help. “It’s very rewarding to give children who are normally very anxious in the dental chair a warm and loving experience,” she says. She says the most common problems she sees are tooth decay and helping the children understand how to take care of their teeth and to cut down on sweets and soft drinks.
Elise Westphal, 25, a student majoring in dental hygiene at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, was doing research online for volunteer positions and saw the request from VOMCF for a dental hygienist. She was motivated to apply because she saw that it was related to foster children, and she’s always had a strong compassion for people who’ve had difficulty in their past, especially children. Since May 2013, Westphal has been volunteering eight hours per week at the VOMCC dental office. “Until you volunteer somewhere, you can’t understand how good it makes you feel because you know how much you have to share with others,” she says.
Westphal believes it’s important to pay attention to these children who, due to their experience, don’t feel good about themselves. “I believe that, by participating, we can help them realize that they have more power than they think and that they’re cared about. I’m thankful to be a part of helping that happen,” she says.
Emotional support
VOMCF also has funded the WillMar Family Grief and Healing Center to serve children in need of therapy and emotional support; the California Parenting Institute’s Blue Ribbon Luncheon and event, held to recognize the importance of child abuse prevention; Redwood Empire Foster Parent Association-Respite Program; and art therapy for children staying at VOMCH by Michiko Spring.
The Redwood Empire Foster Parent Association supports foster parents to help them better care for the children in their homes. According to Cheryl Brunsnlik, president, the funds from VOMCF provide scholarships for school sports, camps, music lessons, driving lessons for teenagers and some high school expenses such as books and clothing. The foundation also provides pajamas from the Sleep Train Foundation and is included in its Blue Bag program. (The Blue Bag includes three days of clothing as well as some books and toys given to each foster child when he or she is first placed into a foster home.)
WillMar Center in Sonoma, a long-time partner of VOMCH, provides two biweekly “Here & Now”grief support groups specially developed to meet the complex needs of foster children. Since 2008, WillMar has served more than 286 children from VOMCH who’ve experienced a loss, including death of a parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin or important friend (see “Helping Families Heal,” January 2013). “VOMCH foster children and teens are working through the profoundly complicated losses of leaving everything familiar in their lives,” explains Barbara Cullen, executive director of WillMar. VOMCF funds let WillMar provide services so the children know they’re cared for while transitioning to foster care. “The loss can be so great to some of them that it feels like a death,” says Cullen, “and they need to process those emotions accordingly.”
Educational support
The VOMCF Education Fund Scholarship Program, celebrating its eighth year in 2014, was established by Dianne Edwards, retired director of Sonoma County Human Services Department. The needs of former foster youth making the transition to independence has been well documented, and this program offers important help to motivated former foster youth who want to pursue higher education.
During its first year, a total of $9,000 in scholarship funds was awarded to six students. To date, the scholarship fund has provided 99 scholarships to former Sonoma County foster youth (with a total of $350,000 in funds distributed). The application process is competitive and limited to former foster youth who’ve participated in the Independent Living Skills Program (ILP) in Sonoma County. Among its outreach programs, ILP provides training to help youth develop the skills needed to become independent adults and also makes contact with youth who might benefit from the scholarship program.
The scholarship committee chooses recipients after it reviews all applications and interviews the candidates. The criteria to receive scholarships includes regular attendance in school, good grades, a minimum of units and a completed application. The applications process opens in February of each year, closes in April and awards are made in May. Successful applicants may receive a second scholarship in year two of their education if they continue to meet the established criteria.
Supporting the future
Children are our future and need to be nurtured and cared for. Sometimes, circumstances beyond their control cause them to be robbed of their basic needs and they find themselves in foster care. Programs like the ones funded by VOMCF are there to help these children cope with issues few of us can understand. With support and love, many of these issues can be overcome.
If you would like to contribute to the welfare of these children and the program, visit www.vomchildrensfoundation.org or consider volunteering.
