White Shield Center

Second visit: September 22
Author: Jan Block

Another nonprofit visited, another eye opened.

The suggestion for this visit came with a mighty wave of chill bumps. We clicked the link, saw who they served and all unanimously voted to explore. White Shield Services Center here we come. Visit confirmed.

Our visit began with a drive toward the west hills, over a one way bridge and deep into a forestry landscape. We were met by a glowing woman named Diane Brandsma. She is the executive director of the Center whose services are backed by the Salvation Army.

The three of us sat in what felt like an AA meeting room, with overstuffed couches, and a meeting table in the center. Kleenex in arms reach. The sensation that a lot of life changing moments took place here. We sat with Diane who talked us through her educational background, how she was thrown into the fire, sort to speak, as an Executive Director and kept her faith about the organization. She talked us through a standard day for the 25 young ladies who live at the location, that 50% of them are mothers, and the other half are who they have deemed as their “wild flowers” (I love that reference) which meant they were emotionally unbalanced and came with severe behavioral issues. Did I mention that these young ladies are 12-18 years old? Oh, left that part out, huh? Yeah, let that resonate a moment. 12 to 18 years old.

No need for me to dive into the demanding fundamentals of development in young teenage girls (or boys) who need love, attention and affection from a parental figure in order to be well balanced themselves. We all know that, don’t we? The tender age of development we are talking about here is jarring. Plus did I mention that all these girls are cases in the State, from DHS? Oh yeah, that too. They come from dysfunctional families themselves.

You can look at this as they are results of their environments, which they are. But, we’re past that. They are at this center to rewire themselves. To develop in a healthy fashion. To gain life skills that they were shorted in their upbringing. White Shield Service Centers does this.

They have ladies come in who teach the girls how to cook in the kitchen, how to sew, how to create resumes, how to speak in an interview, how to dress, talk, act, care for their babies. Oh, babies. Yes, the babies.

Babies live on site. The three of us visited the nursery where there were 2:1 volunteers to babies. I don’t even get that at daycare! We held those little babies, loved on them, caught some smiles and dotted over them. This was what it’s all about. The innocence of those bright eyed children. Mmmm. While we dotted and cooed, I spotted the beautiful Diana shushing a little to sleep in the most caring of ways. She herself is more than an executive director, she is a mother to all these babies, and their mothers. What a blessing she is. Her silent tender care in that nursery spoke more than the story of the building.

The story of the building.

Back to the AA room. When Diana was finished telling us about the services provided, she made a point to tell us the chilling history of the building. At one time, not too long ago, it was a maternity ward. You know those little old stories about shaming fathers and mothers of unwed pregnant daughters that would get sent off to “deal” with the pregnancy, aka deliver and sign over (I get sick writing that line). This is where that happened. Down the hall we walked. Diana told us monthly stories of reunited daughters and mothers who would visit and walk down the ward to the room where the deal was made.

Hmmm.

As you can imagine, not a dry eye in the room. This is our history, folks. But this is not where things are headed.

The purpose of our visits are several things. 1. To experience firsthand what these place do, how they operate and who they serve. Physically see it, and touch it. 2. Learn about needs and 3. Be advocates for compelling missions. More times than not, we write checks or donate clothes, and never see the impact. While we were at the Center, a group of young ladies, aiming to be bright and cheery, shifted through a bag of donated clothes, grabbing and showing us things for their babies. A highlight moment of their day. We shook hands, and joined in the festivity.

Back to help, besides the following list of items the facility could use to keep encouragement and motivation high within the center, the three of us would like to find a donor to support us on these missions. We are on a “philanthropist search” – someone who is not able to visit places like this, but wants to hear first-hand the way things operate, and give a little where they can. Big or small. So, if you know someone, privately or publicly, who can lend themselves to this sort of arrangement, we’d love to meet them. We’ve been tokened as the “Charlie’s Angels” so we need our “Charlie” (thanks for the tip RH) J

That said, items needed for the White Shield Service Center are:

Volunteers to teach life skill classes
Clothing donations (teen and baby under 12 months)
Hygiene donations (women hygiene products)
Gift cards – the facility operates on a tiered program which award these young ladies gift cards. They get to shop for their “homes” and babies. How cool, right? The three of us committed to four $25 Target Gift Cards for now. We’re not rich, but we can give a little bit.
Please let me know if you can help or feel free to reach out to the center yourself.

503.731.3961

Thanks for listening,

Jan, Refinement and Krista