{"id":1997,"date":"2022-03-16T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/handsofhopein.org\/a-handwritten-note-and-a-pack-o\/"},"modified":"2022-05-24T20:11:12","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T20:11:12","slug":"a-handwritten-note-and-a-pack-o","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/handsofhopein.org\/a-handwritten-note-and-a-pack-o\/","title":{"rendered":"A Handwritten Note and a Pack of Gum"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Kriste Smith jumped into working with a child welfare agency in Chicago in the \u201890s, she did so because of her desire to serve others. Eventually, she joined the Department of Child Services (DCS), where she has worked for nearly 14 years. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just always had a passion for wanting to help people,\u201d Kriste says. \u201cThese kids need someone. They are so vulnerable; they really need someone to advocate for them.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Over the years, Kriste has worked in permanency and family case management for DCS, helping keep kids safe as their parents work to regain custody. She loves supporting parents as they work hard to establish safety and security for their kids. \u201cThere\u2019s no place like home,\u201d Kriste says, \u201cif it\u2019s safe for them to be there.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

These days, Kriste is a division manager over foster care and kinship for part of the state of Indiana, while she\u2019s also division manager over much of Indiana\u2019s child placement line. Her goal remains the same: get vulnerable kids into safe homes. Finding stable, supportive housing for kids in care is challenging, especially for older youth or those with special needs. Locating safe spaces for these kids \u2013 in care through no fault of their own \u2013 requires long hours and hard work.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

But when asked whether she ever loses hope, Kriste answers quickly. \u201cAbsolutely not,\u201d she says. \u201cThese are kids. They can\u2019t do this for themselves\u2026we as the adults can\u2019t give up on them. The goal is just never to give up<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

While her attitude is positive and uplifting, Kriste admits that encouragement on the job goes a long way for social workers, who work long hours in an emotionally heavy role. That encouragement, she says, can come from unlikely places.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had to remove three small children,\u201d Kriste remembers, recalling a particularly hard case in her past. \u201cIt broke my heart.\u201d Kriste says the children\u2019s mom was very angry, but eventually understood that she had to work on creating a safe, stable home for her family to thrive.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Months later the family reconvened in court, with the kids\u2019 grandfather attending, too. Mom had spent time focusing on her sobriety and healthy relationships, and the judge ruled that it was time for her children to return home. Kriste was proud of how hard the kids\u2019 mom had worked, but she was stunned by what came next.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the judge agreed to reunification,\u201d Kriste says, \u201cthe grandfather stood up and said, \u2018You know, many times we don\u2019t say thank you\u2013but I really want to say thank you to Miss Smith, because she saved my grandchildrens\u2019 life.\u2019\u201d Kriste shares that at that moment, the kids\u2019 mom turned around and said, \u201cShe saved me, too.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Encouragement can come from <\/span>outside<\/span> of the foster care system, too, Kriste says. She suggests notes of encouragement for foster care workers as a great way to boost moods on a dark day.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the time,\u201d she says, \u201cyou are beat up, you are exhausted. It does help [social workers] to know that someone out there is thinking about them, that someone cares.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

People can also support a social worker\u2019s <\/span>physical <\/span>well-being, as well as their emotional and mental health. Kriste has seen gifts of gum, coffee, and smoothies all provide physical care for her team. \u201cYou do work long hours,\u201d she says. \u201cIf you\u2019re rushing to a court hearing and you didn\u2019t have time to eat, that [food] means a lot.\u201d
\nKriste shared about a time that she found a note with a pack of gum on her desk. “I’ll never forget it – when I opened it up, I found a personal handwritten note of encouragement from Hands of Hope. Even just something that little – I was so happy.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

\n

\n​Supporting kids in care by encouraging their social workers <\/strong><\/em>really can be as simple as sharing a sweet note, an encouraging voicemail, or a small bouquet of flowers. Social Work Month is a great time to appreciate workers like Kriste, but our hope is that we appreciate and honor these real-life heroes every single month of the year<\/em>.
\nWritten By: Sarah Norris
\nIf you, a few friends, or your church would like to support local child welfare workers, check out our website<\/a> for opportunities in your area!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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