Northwest Arkansas Childrens Shelter

Archives for April 2020

Abby’s story

It was one of the worst cases of neglect the police officer had ever seen. The children were covered in grime, clearly malnourished and sleeping on filthy pallets on the floor. The house had no running water and roaches infested the kitchen. There were visible scratches, bruises and burns on the children’s bodies. This wasn’t […]

Wesley

“I love it here. I don’t want to be anywhere else. This is the best place I’ve ever been.” The sentiment above was recently shared with me by a 14-year-old named Wesley. At first, I was thrilled to hear it. I was so glad that he felt safe and comfortable here at the Shelter. That […]

Read more about WesleyImpact stories

Meet Wesley

“I love it here. I don’t want to be anywhere else. This is the best place I’ve ever been.”

The sentiment above was recently shared with me by a 14-year-old named Wesley. At first, I was thrilled to hear it. I was so glad that he felt safe and comfortable here at the Shelter. That means that we’re doing our job well. That means that we’re fulfilling our mission.

Right?

But then, as what he said began to sink in, it actually made me very sad. Shouldn’t this young man want to be in a home? Shouldn’t he want to be part of a family? So, why, out of all the places he has been, does he want to be here?

His understanding of home and family is so much different than mine. A home, to him, means conflict and struggle.  It means constantly being hyper aware and ready to fight or flee at any moment. It means feeling alone and frightened, but never being able to show fear or weakness. It means growing up way too fast.

At the Shelter, Wesley is surrounded by people who care about him, 24 hours a day. He has a routine and knows what to expect from day to day. He never has to question whether he will have clean clothing or enough to eat. He knows that his education is important and that his teachers will do everything they can to keep him on track. He knows that we want him to have the best future possible.

I wish every child in Arkansas had a loving, supportive home. I wish we could close the doors of the Shelter forever. Unfortunately, there will always be children like Wesley. To him, the Shelter is more of a family than he has ever known. So, we will keep our doors open, and our arms open even wider, for the children who need us.

Rick Brazile,
Sr. Director of Finance
Interim Executive Director

The staff treated me as if I were their family. They were always there for me and always reminded me of my worth.

Kiyasha, age 15

I like the Shelter because we get new stuff, like clothes, and we get to go outside and play kickball.

Adam, age 6

The Shelter has truly given me hope to pursue my life to the fullest, put my past behind me, and move on to bigger and better things in life. The staff members, who I think of as family, have brought me to realize that I am valuable, strong and able to conquer anything I set my mind on.

Chelsea, age 13