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ENLARGE
One day when Chris Bayer had finished packing a suitcase with some clothes, a teddy bear and a pair of boots for a young child, he looked at the contents and was touched by the poignancy of the moment — by all the people who had donated items to make a Carson City child's transition into foster care a little easier.
Bayer, director of Carson City's Court Appointed Special Advocates, operates the city's Foster Care Closet, in the juvenile probation building on the corner of Fifth Street and Sali man Road.
He works closely with Lori Nichols, foster-care recruiter for the state's Division of Child and Family Services, with a single purpose — helping the com munity's youngest victims of abuse and neglect.
“When a child is taken from their home, they may arrive with nothing,” Bayer said. “It's pretty scary for kids, so it's nice that foster parents can have access to the things they need right away, because it's just the beginning of the road, and they're usually trying to calm the child.”
Nichols, who was helping Bayer unload a trunkload of donated clothing Tuesday afternoon, agreed.
“It can be overwhelming for a child to be taken out of their home and put into a foster home — often in the middle of the night,” Nichols said, “so it's a great benefit to have a re source like this.”
And the CASA program is just as vital to the welfare of these same children, Bayer said.
“Our job is to see that each child or case has a CASA volunteer to advocate on their behalf in the courts,” he said, adding that training is provided and volunteers are always needed.
The closet, which both and Bayer and Nichols call a community effort, is filled with nice-quality donations from people in the community — mainly clothing and shoes, but also cribs, car seats and high chairs.
“We're fussy,” Bayer said. “We only accept new or like-new donations.”
Volunteers from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program come in once a week to sort clothes, which they neatly fold and place in bins labeled by age and sex, he said.
The Republican Women's Club has donated suitcases for years. The Reno Rodeo Asso cia tion regularly donates jeans — one of the most badly needed items at the clothes closet, along with baby-sized winter coats — and “Grandma Myrna” Tanner has knitted hats for kids for years, Bayer said.
The foster-parent program served about 100 youngsters last year, but a lot of the foster homes aren't in Carson City, so Nichols would really like to see more people become part of the program.
“If kids get removed from their homes and have to go to other areas, they are moving away from their parents, friends and schools,” she said.
“We could do so much more for our kids with more fosters. It's about healing and giving them a normal life. Other times, the parents are really trying to change, to get over their addictions, and if the children are nearby, it's better for both,” she said.
“Of the 65 children in care in Carson City right now, about half are with relatives, and the other half are in foster care,” Bayer said.
“These are not delinquents. They're not in this situation be cause of something they did,” he said. “Our hope is that their parents can turn their lives around, but a home that fits well for them in meantime is the goal.”
Bayer, director of Carson City's Court Appointed Special Advocates, operates the city's Foster Care Closet, in the juvenile probation building on the corner of Fifth Street and Sali man Road.
He works closely with Lori Nichols, foster-care recruiter for the state's Division of Child and Family Services, with a single purpose — helping the com munity's youngest victims of abuse and neglect.
“When a child is taken from their home, they may arrive with nothing,” Bayer said. “It's pretty scary for kids, so it's nice that foster parents can have access to the things they need right away, because it's just the beginning of the road, and they're usually trying to calm the child.”
Nichols, who was helping Bayer unload a trunkload of donated clothing Tuesday afternoon, agreed.
“It can be overwhelming for a child to be taken out of their home and put into a foster home — often in the middle of the night,” Nichols said, “so it's a great benefit to have a re source like this.”
And the CASA program is just as vital to the welfare of these same children, Bayer said.
“Our job is to see that each child or case has a CASA volunteer to advocate on their behalf in the courts,” he said, adding that training is provided and volunteers are always needed.
The closet, which both and Bayer and Nichols call a community effort, is filled with nice-quality donations from people in the community — mainly clothing and shoes, but also cribs, car seats and high chairs.
“We're fussy,” Bayer said. “We only accept new or like-new donations.”
Volunteers from the Retired Senior Volunteer Program come in once a week to sort clothes, which they neatly fold and place in bins labeled by age and sex, he said.
The Republican Women's Club has donated suitcases for years. The Reno Rodeo Asso cia tion regularly donates jeans — one of the most badly needed items at the clothes closet, along with baby-sized winter coats — and “Grandma Myrna” Tanner has knitted hats for kids for years, Bayer said.
The foster-parent program served about 100 youngsters last year, but a lot of the foster homes aren't in Carson City, so Nichols would really like to see more people become part of the program.
“If kids get removed from their homes and have to go to other areas, they are moving away from their parents, friends and schools,” she said.
“We could do so much more for our kids with more fosters. It's about healing and giving them a normal life. Other times, the parents are really trying to change, to get over their addictions, and if the children are nearby, it's better for both,” she said.
“Of the 65 children in care in Carson City right now, about half are with relatives, and the other half are in foster care,” Bayer said.
“These are not delinquents. They're not in this situation be cause of something they did,” he said. “Our hope is that their parents can turn their lives around, but a home that fits well for them in meantime is the goal.”
