Foster care is a complex, sad, but also hopeful system. Approximately 198 youth up to 17 years old are being served right now by Jefferson County Child Welfare through the Port Townsend office. They come from households struggling with drugs, alcohol, abuse, poverty and mental health issues.

Logistical complications can continue to cause harm to an already traumatized child. The count of licensed foster homes in Jefferson County is 13. Only 70 of those 198 children are placed with family members. Do the math and it becomes obvious the county lacks ‘beds’ for those displaced kids. 

The reality is that Jefferson County only has a handful of licensed foster homes, all of which are typically full and unable to be a safe landing spot for a child in need. Some plan to close. It is hard, heartbreaking work. 

And that is where Olympic Angels comes in. When a fostering family is referred to their programs, the goal is to match them with volunteer community members who offer support in the most meaningful ways possible - through monthly intentional giving customized to a family’s particular needs, and by lifting up the entire family with friendship and support.

“We know there is a void within the child welfare space that can be filled by everyday people to fill the gap and be a part of the change,” explains Morgan Hanna, founder and executive director of the local chapter, one of 20 inside the National Angels wing.

That means foster homes stay open longer because they receive emotional and day-to-day support from the volunteers in a program called Love Box. People from all ages and walks of life come together to support the family and the children in whatever they need. 

That can be rides to sports, planning birthday parties the kids never had, a meal delivered to the family’s door every week so the caregiver can have a break, babysitting, tangible items like diapers or new sheets and help with navigating paperwork or court appointments. Whatever the caregivers and their kids say they need.

Through their Dare to Dream one-on-one mentorship program, volunteer mentors guide youth (ages 11-22) into adulthood. They work together to reach practical milestones like getting a driver’s license, graduating, interviewing for a job and finding sustainable housing.

When youth age out of foster care at 18, they often experience higher rates of homelessness, unemployment, addiction issues and incarceration compared to their peers who have not experienced foster care. It is through hope, community, empowerment, consistency, and normalcy that Olympic Angels is changing the statistics.

Olympic Angels believes that children should have a deep sense of belonging, and caregivers should be radically supported on their journey. And that is exactly what happens when a family or youth gets assigned a Love Box or a Mentor. 

It is a community-based approach, wrapping around the entire family so they feel better-equipped to successfully and lovingly take on the task of fostering.Caregivers feel empowered to continue providing integral support to children and youth.

And most importantly, youth experience normalcy and stable relationships that follow them wherever they go. It gives them a village with people who really know them and see them so they can grow, heal and thrive. 

All volunteers and mentors are thoroughly vetted, background checked, and trained in trauma and non-judgment. One of the organization’s main core values is curiosity: To maintain an attitude of humble curiosity, putting aside judgment to seek truth, knowledge and understanding. 

“We advocate, love, support and care for children and youth in foster care as well as their caregivers, because we take ownership to ensure that every single child and youth has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential,” explains Hanna.