David was small, malnourished and homeless when he came to Wayfinder. His mother had courageously handed him over to the authorities, knowing that she could not care for him.
David made an impression on everyone the day that he arrived at Wayfinder’s Cottage, a transitional shelter care program offering short-term emergency care for children who have experienced trauma in their homes. Counselors remembers him vividly.
“David was a tiny little guy,” says one counselor. “Everyone thought he was under a year old because of his development. He was shockingly 18 months old, but wasn’t babbling, walking or eating solid foods.”
Lack of proper nutrition had stunted his growth and development. While other children his age were walking, baby David was only sitting.
At Wayfinder, children come first. We offer them dignity and hope, and we ensure that every child feels safe, cared for and supported. Our staff immediately embraced David, fed him, bathed him, dressed him in brand new clothes and shoes, and engaged him in age-appropriate activities.
During David’s stay with us, he giggled and enjoyed listening to stories and leafing through baby board books. He even began pulling himself up with his hands tightly gripping the furniture for support as he ventured across the room to get where he wanted to go. He acted more and more like a baby boy his age each day.
David left Cottage on his way to a warm foster family eager to support him in the next phase of his journey.
* A stock image has been used and the child’s name and identifying information have been modified to protect the identity of the child.
November 16, 2017