March is Social Work Month and this March we had a great time celebrating the social workers at Hearts & Homes who make a difference every day for the youth in our care! The theme this year, “Social Work Paves the Way for Change” spoke directly to our social workers’ mission. Hearts & Homes for Youth’s social workers are part of the change process that each youth experiences when they join the Heats and Homes family.

Our social workers effect change through empowerment: empowering each youth to see the good in themselves and to act on the belief that they can reach their goals.  They effect change through dedication: sticking with even the most difficult youth and showing them something different than what they are accustomed to.  They effect change through education: utilizing all of their training to provide services that reflect best practices for great outcomes. Change may be a youth smiling or laughing more, finally feeling at home and comfortable to be themselves or a youth graduating high school who was previously failing classes and on the verge of dropping out.  Our social workers are tirelessly dedicated to helping our youth identify and develop the academic, vocational, behavioral, and other tools to become independent and productive young adults.

Our social workers work in our group homes, with foster parents, and with our parenting teens in Damamli Independent Living Program providing therapy, psycho-education, training, case management, and ensuring that each youth feels like a part of our family.

As a way to say thank you to our social workers, Hearts & Homes hosted a luncheon at Seasons 52 in Columbia. Each social worker received a card and personal token of appreciation.

Our appreciation goes beyond the month of March;, we appreciate our social workers each and every day for the contribution that they make to each youth and to Hearts & Homes as a whole.