Let It Be Us Enters New Frontier of Child Welfare with Host Home Recruitment with The Bridge Youth & Family Services

Let It Be Us Announces Partnership with The Bridge Youth & Family Services for Host Home Recruitment 

Let It Be Us enters the new frontier of child welfare by announcing a partnership with The Bridge Youth & Family Services for Host Home Recruitment. Host Home Families welcome children in grade, middle and high school who are at risk of family disruptions. A stay with a Host Home Family is intended to be short-term while family of origin is strengthened, with the goal of children returning home. The requirements of the Host Home Families will be experience with teens, an open bedroom, flexible employment, and a desire to be involved in this first cohort of The Bridge’s Host Home Families, providing an opportunity for youth to avoid DCFS involvement. Host Home Families will have access to The Bridge’s experienced staff on a 24/7 basis, 365 days a year. 

The youth involved in this program will most likely be attending their regular schools and the Host Homes will be recruited in the following Illinois communities: Des Plaines, Hanover, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Palatine, and Wheeling. 

Host Homes that are recruited and licensed will receive a stipend.

“We are thrilled about this partnership with Let It Be Us, and equally as excited to have caring families join our mission to help repair families in crisis and allow kids a safe alternative to youth shelters during a time of intense stress and trauma,” said Kris Salyards, Executive Director of The Bridge Youth & Family Services. 

“We are looking forward to this recruitment project with The Bridge Youth & Family Services,” said Dr. Susan McConnell, Executive Director of Let It Be Us. “We are excited to be involved on this level with an organization that has established themselves as a leader in protecting children and preserving families. We see Host Home Recruitment as a new frontier in Illinois child welfare with extensive possibilities of better outcomes for children in ” 

The recruitment efforts will include an in-person Host Home Recruitment Events taking place at The Bridge’s offices in Palatine, Illinois. There will also be a webinar Recruitment Events for those who cannot attend the in-person event. 

The first in-person Host Home Recruitment Event will take place on Tuesday, October 7, from 7:00pm – 8:30pm at the offices of The Bridge Youth & Family Services in Palatine, Illinois. To register please visit www.letitbeus.org/events.  

To learn more about becoming a Host Home please contact Cathy Newbury, Director of Foster Home Recruitment, at cathynewbury@letitbeus.org. 

To learn more about working with Let It Be Us please contact Dr. Susan McConnell, Executive Director, at susanmcconnell@letitbeus.org.

About Let It Be Us

Let It Be Us is an Illinois 501(c)3 and licensed child welfare agency dedicated to changing the landscape of foster care and adoption in Illinois. The mission of Let It Be Us is to provide collaborative, innovative solutions of effective recruitment and placement for children in Illinois foster and adoptive care. The Let It Be Us vision is for all children in the Illinois child welfare system to achieve educational equity, employment equity, and overall well being through the incorporation of Let It Be Us Programming into statewide advancements in foster care adoption recruitment and placement. For more information about Let It Be Us, visit www.letitbeus.org.