The Fort Smith Children’s Shelter is celebrating our 25th Anniversary on November 10, 2022 from 11 :00am-1 :00pm. We invite our community of supporters, business partners, and friends to join us for tours of our campus (3015 S 14th Street] and an introduction to the GetREALU mission. Arvest Bank is graciously donating their time and grill to serve our guests. All activities will be centered in our gymnasium.
On November 1, 1997, the Fort Smith Children’s Emergency Shelter (CES) welcomed its first 5 children into its home. For 22 years, the CES served as the only emergency shelter for children in foster care in the Sebastian County area. Providing a safe home to over 4,200 children and young adults in crisis, the Fort Smith Children’s Emergency Shelter provided shelter and care, in a safe and structured home-like environment to children ages 6-17 who had been removed from their home by the Department of Human Services due to parental/guardian abuse and/or neglect.
In addition to serving children in foster care ages 6-17, the CES broadened its mission in 2015 to include an independent living program (GetREAL24) for young adults, ages 18 and older who were preparing to or had “aged-out” of foster care. In 2014, the CES conducted a feasibility study to analyze the need for an independent living program for youth in foster care. As a result of the study, the CES discovered that there was no apartment-based independent living facility in AR with both housing and a life-skills training/ mentoring program. With approximately 5% of the state foster youth “aging out” each quarter, the feasibility study showed that the lack of safe and stable housing options, and independent living support for these youth was resulting in suicide, homelessness, and/or incarceration.
In the summer of 2015, with the financial support of the Children’s Emergency Shelter Foundation, the CES expanded its mission and implemented GR24 through the purchase and remodel of a 24-unit apartment complex adjacent to the current CES home. In March of 2022, after serious consideration, the Children’s Shelter Board of Directors voted to shift the mission to only serve youth aging out of foster care. The Board’s decision comes with great confidence due to the success ofGetREALU (formerly known as GetREAL24). The former shelter is being converted into eight single-bedroom dorm rooms with a live-in Resident Assistant. Once the remodel is complete, the dorm can house four female residents and four male residents in separate living quarters. These residents will gain the skills they need to transition to our apartment building adjacent to the dorm where they can live more independently. Currently, the apartment building serves nine members of our program and two non-OHS young adults that would otherwise be homeless without our program. We hope to see you in a few weeks as we celebrate the past, present, and future of The Fort Smith Children’s Shelter programs. –
