Being there to help children and families in need has always been a Boys Town priority. That especially is the case for Boys Town Care Coordination Services in South Omaha during the current immigration crisis.
This past September, a family was referred to Boys Town by a bilingual paralegal from the Immigrant Legal Center/Justice for Our Neighbors Network. During the welcome interview, Maria (mom) said she and her two children Iris (daughter) and Justin (son) arrived in Omaha from El Salvador in August and since then the kids had been sick. Boys Town regularly assists families during difficult times. But a sick child makes that assistance even more critical when it comes to urgency. Often, these immigrant families do not know where to go for medical help.
The Boys Town Care Coordination Specialist problem solved with Maria and made arrangements for the children to get to a OneWorld Community Health Center right away to see a doctor. The Boys Town Specialist also scheduled a school vaccine appointment. After the health issues were handled, the Specialist then took on helping enroll the daughter into school. Assistance was given in going over information forms and filling out applications with the mother. Happily, the daughter started school at Liberty Elementary School in October, and the son is on a waiting list for pre-kindergarten classes.
In the meantime, Boys Town also assisted in helping find a babysitter so the mother can go to work. The Specialist has also coordinated getting clothes, shoes and other basic items within Boys Town and other community resources.
“Working with the families has been a roller coaster of emotions, heartbreaking stories and the satisfaction of being able to assist in connecting them to so much-needed resources," said Boys Town Consultant Alejandra Pedroza.
Boys Town continues to offer healing and hope to children and families.
"Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten."~ George Bernard Shaw