A place for the kids
<p>JEROME A. POLLOS/Press An infant sleeps in a cradle while as another child plays in the living room of one of the Children's Village homes Monday in Coeur d'Alene. The facility is seeing an increase in children dropped off to their crisis nursery which is putting increased financial pressure on the nonprofit.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Some of the kids adapt well, Janie Givas observes.
They know the row between mom and dad will be patched up soon, and it will be that much quicker they'll be back snuggled in their own beds.
But others need extra coddling, if their moms are looking at long journeys climbing back on their feet, making that bed a distant memory.
"We want to make sure children we care for are cared for in the best way possible," said Givas, development director at Children's Village.
The Coeur d'Alene nonprofit that provides housing for kids in need has observed an escalation this past year of children taken on from mothers fleeing domestic violence, Givas said.
The organization's crisis nursery is constantly maxed out at its 12-child capacity, Givas said. The organization receives several calls a week from mothers under duress who are requesting help, or from family members trying to help their loved ones in such a plight.
The nonprofit has to help some track down other resources, Givas added, due to lack of room.
"There is an increase during times of stress, like the financial stress that we're having lately," she said. "If we were able to take on more children and educate more families, we would still be full, regardless of how many spots we had."
The nonprofit provides around-the-clock care for children whose parents are facing emergencies, she added. Sometimes the mothers reveal they're in abusive situations, Givas said - and sometimes they don't have to.
Their children may only stay with Children's Village for 24 hours, she said.
"They just need to know their child is someplace safe and happy, even if it is for 24 hours, so they can make healthy decisions," she said.
Other kids end up relying on the facility's beds, groceries and staff care for several weeks, she said. Some families turn to the nonprofit periodically.
Although the crisis nursery is technically intended for children 4 and younger, Givas said, the nonprofit accepts kids of any age.
"There's no charge, no judgment," she said, adding that families can arrange to visit their offspring.
The accumulating need is putting heavy financial pressure on the nonprofit, she noted.
Besides the extra staff needed to tend to a full house, she said, every child needs to be fed. Some require medical treatment and diapers. Many need rides to school.
The nonprofit provides it all.
"Sometimes we have children going to five or six different schools," Givas said. "Children need that structure. If they lose their families, they don't need to lose their teacher and best friend, too."
The nonprofit welcomes donations of any size, she said. Gift cards to Walmart and Costco are always needed to purchase gas, food and clothes.
"We would just like to maintain what we are doing," Givas said.
For more information, contact Givas at: 667-1189.
Reminding that September is National Domestic Violence Prevention month, Givas encouraged folks to enlighten others about available resources like Children's Village.
"It could be your neighbors, friends, family," she said. "Just giving them encouragement and support, us providing the resources to keep the kids safe, is all they need to make good choices."