• Signup for Email
  • About
    • Mission & Vision
    • Leadership
      • Mike Shaver
      • Jan Stepto-Millett
      • John Springer
      • Paula Corrigan-Halpern
      • Hilary Freeman
      • Sara Irmen
      • Dawnielle Jeffrey
      • Melissa Ludington
      • Renae Storey
      • Amanda Whitlock
      • Lori Poppen
      • Mendy Smith
    • Board of Trustees
    • License & Accreditation
    • Mission & Vision
    • Financial Information
    • Client Policy and Rights
  • Get Involved
    • Join an Auxiliary Board
      • Associate Board
        • Associate Board Membership Request Form
      • Hinsdale Auxiliary
      • Lost Dunes Golf Committee
      • Rice Leadership Committee
      • The Woman’s Board
      • Central Regional Advisory Board
      • Northern Regional Advisory Board
      • Southern Regional Advisory Board
    • Attend or Sponsor an Event
    • Get Your Company Involved
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Metro
      • Volunteer Central
      • Volunteer Northern
      • Volunteer Southern
  • Ways to Give
    • Make a Donation
    • Become a Monthly Donor
    • Shop Amazon Smile
    • Attend or Sponsor an Event
    • Get Your Company Involved
    • Remember Us in Your Will
    • Make a Gift of Stock
    • Give Through Your IRA
    • Create Your Own Fundraising Event or Campaign
    • See Our Impact
  • Policy Center
    • The Federation for Community Schools
    • Advocacy
    • Result of the Quarter
    • Get our Newsletter!
  • Events
  • Blog & News
  • Locations
  • Careers
    • New Hire Benefits
    • Intern
Children's Home + Aid
Give Today
  •  Adoption
    Services
    • Become an Adoptive Parent
    • Adoption Family Profiles
      • Pauline
      • Successful Placement: Leo and Steve
    • Adoption & Guardianship Preservation
    • Adoption Information Request
    • Adoption Resources
    • Pregnancy, Early Parent, and Adoption Counseling
    • Post Adoption Services
  •  Foster Care
    Services
    • Become a Foster Parent
      • Learn More – Metro Chicago
      • Learn More – Northern Illinois
      • Learn More – Southern Illinois
    • Foster Care with Relatives
    • Foster Parent Resources
    • Adult Connections
    • Excellence Academy
    • Sibling Connections
    • Specialized Foster Care
    • Therapeutic Foster Care
  •  Counseling &
    Treatment Programs
    • Adoption Support & Preservation
    • Choose 2 Change
    • Community Based Behavioral Health
    • Early Prevention In The Community
    • Families And Children in Treatment
    • Family Centered Counseling Services
    • Family Solutions
    • FCAN
    • Project Connect
    • Residential Services
      • Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Child & Family Center
      • Independent Living
    • SPARCS
    • The Butterfly Project
    • Youth Services
      • Redeploy
      • Youth Services
  • Parenting
    • The Butterfly Project
    • The Children’s Room
    • Crisis Nursery
      • Motherhouse Crisis Nursery
      • Crisis Nursery in Bloomington
    • Early Start
    • Family Visitation Center
    • Healthy Families Illinois
    • Doula
    • Kid’s Turn
    • Parents Care & Share
    • Power of Fathers
    • Pregnancy, Early Parent, and Adoption Counseling
    • Stronger Beginnings for Families
  •  Child Care
    & Education
    • Community Child Care Centers
      • Bloomington
      • Carpentersville
      • Englewood
      • Palatine
      • Schaumburg
      • Viva Chicago
    • Early Head Start
    • Head Start
    • Preschool For All
    • Child Care Assistance Program
    • Child Care Resource and Referral
      • Southern Region
        • Looking for Child Care
        • Parent Resources
        • Provider Services
        • Statistical Information
        • Training Opportunities
        • CCR&R Staff Directory
  • Signup for Email
  • About
    • Mission & Vision
    • Leadership
      • Mike Shaver
      • Jan Stepto-Millett
      • John Springer
      • Paula Corrigan-Halpern
      • Hilary Freeman
      • Sara Irmen
      • Dawnielle Jeffrey
      • Melissa Ludington
      • Renae Storey
      • Amanda Whitlock
      • Lori Poppen
      • Mendy Smith
    • Board of Trustees
    • License & Accreditation
    • Mission & Vision
    • Financial Information
    • Client Policy and Rights
  • Get Involved
    • Join an Auxiliary Board
      • Associate Board
        • Associate Board Membership Request Form
      • Hinsdale Auxiliary
      • Lost Dunes Golf Committee
      • Rice Leadership Committee
      • The Woman’s Board
      • Central Regional Advisory Board
      • Northern Regional Advisory Board
      • Southern Regional Advisory Board
    • Attend or Sponsor an Event
    • Get Your Company Involved
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Metro
      • Volunteer Central
      • Volunteer Northern
      • Volunteer Southern
  • Ways to Give
    • Make a Donation
    • Become a Monthly Donor
    • Shop Amazon Smile
    • Attend or Sponsor an Event
    • Get Your Company Involved
    • Remember Us in Your Will
    • Make a Gift of Stock
    • Give Through Your IRA
    • Create Your Own Fundraising Event or Campaign
    • See Our Impact
  • Policy Center
    • The Federation for Community Schools
    • Advocacy
    • Result of the Quarter
    • Get our Newsletter!
  • Events
  • Blog & News
  • Locations
  • Careers
    • New Hire Benefits
    • Intern
Return to all blog and news posts

A letter from Sarah, a former Rice Child & Family Center client, to Rice staff

by Erin Sharkey
9/20/2018  |  Child Welfare, Rice Child + Family Center

Today is Child Welfare Worker Recognition Day! We’re celebrating by sharing the stories of our staff who are the link to building brighter futures for children, youth and families. A couple of years ago, we received a letter from Sarah, a former resident at the Rice Child & Family Center. The letter, addressed to Sarah’s team of therapists, social workers and counselors, is a testament to the dedicated staff who provide youth in care with a temporary home in a therapeutic setting.

—-

Dear team,

I have been working hard since I came to the Rice Center, and I think I’m ready to move on to independence. I came to Rice because I was having problems at school and at home. When I lived at home, I acted up to the point that the police were called to my house to restrain me. I was hospitalized many times for trying to hurt myself. I tried to choke myself and cut my arms with a knife. I also had outbursts, and did things without thinking—I knocked things over, hit my mom, and hurt my brother. I was really mad and sad inside without knowing why.

When I first arrived at Rice, I was scared and sad because I wanted to be at home with my parents. I had little self-confidence. My situation seemed hopeless, and I thought I would never be able to leave. But it wasn’t long before I started to make progress. I realized that I was responsible for my own fate, and that if I was the one who got myself here, then I was going to have to get myself out.

I began to feel more positive, because I was beginning to do well in the program. The staff helped me a lot along the way. They always had time to talk to me, and I felt comfortable enough to talk with them about anything. They taught me the ropes and they set expectations for me. They also took the time to hang out with me and play basketball. My counselors helped me to think about my behavior in groups. My therapist talks with me and helps me with my problems and family relationships. He’s fantastic and funny. The counselors are helpful and available when I need their help.

I’ve learned how to focus more in school. I now understand that despite my learning disability, I am still able to accomplish my work with a little extra help. I don’t get mad anymore when some of the kids make fun of me, because I have a learning disability. I just tell them that I’m able to do a lot more than I used to. I have learned not to let my peers upset me. I now ignore negative behavior, and am working on getting along with others.

My relationship with my family has continued to be rocky at times. When I first came to Rice, I couldn’t wait for my next visit home to see my family. The visits usually went well, but sometimes, I couldn’t get along with my parents and brothers. I’ve come to realize that sometimes I can be selfish and stubborn. I now understand that this is a problem. My counselor has helped me learn to think before I react. I was able to go home for two weeks over Christmas, and I got along very well. When problems came up, I was able to call my counselors and get advice.

I have come a long way, and I’ve been through tough times. I concentrate on expressing my feelings to others, being a role model to my peers, and standing up for myself. I know I still have a lot to workon, but I don’t feel as sad as I used to. Things don’t seem hopeless anymore. I now feel more confident, happier, and better able to control myself.

Thank you,
Sarah

—-

We hope you’ll take a moment to watch this video, which highlights the impact made on the boys and girls, like Sarah, served at the Rice Center.

share
No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Search the Blog

Categories

  • 135th Anniversary (15)
    • Hope With Wings (1)
  • Adoption (12)
  • Associate Board (1)
  • Blue Bow Campaign (3)
  • Central Region (17)
  • Champions for Children (8)
  • Chicago Cubs (2)
  • Child Welfare (7)
  • City of Chicago (17)
    • One Summer Chicago (12)
      • Summer Intern Project (8)
  • Corporate Partner Spotlight (2)
  • Crisis Nursery (4)
  • Cultural Competence (2)
  • Donor Spotlight (1)
  • Early Childhood Services (10)
  • Education (5)
    • Literacy (1)
  • Families Thriving Podcast (2)
  • Fiscal Scan (2)
  • Foster Parent Mentoring (3)
  • Fundraising (18)
    • Stuff the Bus (1)
  • Graze & Raise (1)
  • Healthy Families Home Visiting (2)
  • Holiday Time (9)
  • In the News (8)
  • Jerri Hoffmann Child & Family Center (1)
  • LGBTQ (1)
  • Memorial Day (1)
  • Mental Health (2)
  • Mission (26)
    • Careers (14)
      • Internship (7)
    • Leadership Spotlight (8)
  • Mitzi Freidheim Child + Family Center (3)
  • Mothers Day (1)
  • Northern Region (6)
  • Philanthropy (9)
  • Power of Fathers (3)
  • Program Results (45)
    • CCAP (2)
    • Choose 2 Change (6)
    • Community Schools (6)
    • Doula (1)
    • Foster Care (16)
      • Intact Family Services (2)
    • Head Start (2)
    • Healthy Start (2)
    • Mentoring (3)
    • Parents Care + Share (2)
    • Redeploy Illinois (2)
    • RISE (1)
    • Safe from the Start (2)
    • Stat of the Month (3)
    • Stronger Beginnings for Families (1)
  • Rice Child + Family Center (13)
  • Southern Region (8)
  • State Budget Crisis (6)
  • The Ahlquist Center (23)
    • Advocacy (16)
    • Newsletter (7)
  • Uncategorized (9)
    • Mentorship (4)
  • Veterans Day (2)
  • Volunteer Spotlight (4)
  • Woman's Board (3)
  • Youth Budget (2)

On Twitter

My Tweets
Children's Home + Aid

Corporate Home Office

125 South Wacker Drive, 14th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 424-0200
+ DONATE NOW!

ABOUT

  • Media / Press Room
    • Press Releases
  • Careers
  • Financial Information
  • Licenses & Accreditation
  • Corporate & Foundation Partners
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy

GET IN TOUCH

  • Contact Us
  • Volunteer
  • United Way
  • COA

© copyright 2019 children’s home + aid