Family Reunion

Deidre Hemm, Communications Coordinator

When Joe* asked his Resident Counselor Matt* to review the homework he’d done, he never expected Matt to end up planning a family reunion.

Matt saw a name of another child he’d been working with, Jesse*, and asked Joe how he knew her. “She’s my sister.”

The siblings had not seen each other since 2019 – and Matt discovered they were both in our care at that time. After contacting the Department of Community Based Services, our team was able to arrange a reunion.

The reunion between Jesse and Joe was bittersweet – there was a tentativeness that fit the moment and a familiarity that seemed to have endured their years-long separation. Following their first meeting, Jesse shared, “can you believe my brother still loves me after all this time?”

Joe and Jesse now visit each other a few times a month and talk on the phone regularly.

Like all our residents, the siblings are working on their individual treatment plans with our team, with plans to transition to separate foster homes. Both foster families are aware of their renewed relationship and have expressed a commitment to ensure ongoing communication between the two.

*Names changed for privacy,