Why Is This Project Important?
By Cindy Phillips
As I approached my office door, I noticed something shiny hanging from the frame. As a counselor for children in a domestic violence shelter, I often discovered unusual notes or pictures under my door, but this was a first. Three large sleigh bells hung from a yellow ribbon clumsily taped across the handle. As I unlocked and opened the door, the bells clanged loudly. Suddenly, a sleepy four-year-old boy emerged from the play room next door.
"It worked! It worked!" he shouted with delight.
"What worked, Caleb?" I asked.
"My Miss Cindy alarm!"
"Why do you need a Miss Cindy alarm?"
He started to whisper and I knelt in front of him. "Because when I know you are here, my tummy does not hurt so much," he said. "You're the only one who can see me."
As advocates for children and teens who are homeless, part of our responsibility is to truly see and understand their most basic needs. Most of the children experiencing homelessness whom you serve likely qualify for TennCare and affordable, consistent medical and dental care. We are here to serve you and to help these children enroll in and navigate the healthcare system--to make them seen and heard by the medical community in the midst of trauma and chaos.
