Guest Message

Heather Tousignant's message of her year as a Lutheran Volunteer

I’ve spent a year with Kids Matter Inc. as a Lutheran Volunteer Corps member, and in August, my time with the agency will come to an end. Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC) is a year-long volunteer program similar to AmeriCorps. There are six to seven volunteers in Milwaukee each year, and the group focuses on communal living, working at agencies that promote social justice, and living simply and sustainably. This year has been a learning experience on all accounts.

I had barely started in my position when baby Christopher Thomas died in November, and the world of Milwaukee child welfare was turned upside down. The gruesome abuse and death of Christopher was cast into the spotlight by the media, and the community recoiled. All of the sudden, the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare was under fire as frustrated citizens voiced their disappointment with the system. Previous child fatalities unknown to the public suddenly came to light and added to the outrage. The systems of child and public welfare became subjects of scrutiny. Although I was a newcomer to the area, I quickly learned about the high turnover rate in case managers and low faith in the system. I saw the over-crowded 12th and Vliet public services office. I worked with clients who did not understand why their food stamps and insurance benefits were being cut-off. It seems that Milwaukee is a tangled web of state and county systems that is difficult to navigate.

It may be hard to spot the children in foster and kinship placements across the city, and harder still to see what challenges their caretakers face every day to provide food, clothing and shelter. From what I’ve seen this year, the struggles of children living in out of home care are somewhat unknown. While Baby Christopher’s death has drawn attention to these issues, the city can’t begin to relax yet. These children are our future—as a city, a state, and a country.

I wouldn’t have known about the noiseless struggles of children in out of home care and their caregivers without the experiences I’ve had this year. Children are being hurt and neglected and no one knows. Children come to school without breakfast or dinner the night before. I’m actively involved in child welfare issues, and there is so much that I still don’t know. That fact makes me uneasy—who else does not understand the trials of children in these situations?

Working at Kids Matter Inc. as an LVC volunteer has taught me to look beyond what I see. The issues that are hidden are the ones that need the most work—this is where social justice is the most important. I’ve been excited and relieved to see so many organizations and individuals get involved on the behalf of children in out of home care. Milwaukee cannot rest yet, however. There are so many children struggling every day that we don’t see. Look closer, and work where you are needed most.

I will be pursuing my Masters in Social Work in the fall at the University of Denver. I was drawn to LVC as an undergraduate while majoring in Human Services at Millikin University because I wanted to gain more experience before I went on to graduate school. My goal is to become a family therapist, and perhaps work in child welfare and LGBTQ policy.