Isaiah 117 House Featured in Facebook Web Series with Mike Rowe
It's hard to think of another local non-profit organization that has generated more buzz over the last year than Isaiah 117 House. Now, to be fair, it is a brand new non-profit for the Evansville area, but there is no denying how impressive their fundraising and their community visibility has been in the last several months.
Isaiah 117 House, which serves several counties in Tennessee and now a couple counties in Indiana, provides a safe and comfortable home environment for kids that are caught up in the foster care system. Perhaps one reason they've seen such awesome growth is because they are educating people about the foster child process. Personally, I had no idea there was a need for a place like Isaiah 117 House, but there definitely is.
Did you know that when a child is removed from a home and begins the foster care process, he/she/they are just left at the Department of Child Services office until they are placed in a home. How long does it take to place a kid? Could be a few hours...could be a few days. Now, I want you to think about that. I want you to imagine being one of those kids. You've just been taken out of your house, away from your parents, your bed, your toys - everything that you know and love. And now you're stuck in a government office - an intimidating, fluorescent-lit, scary, foreign environment. And you're waiting to go spend time at a total stranger's house, if they agree to take you. Sounds to me like the worst possible situation for a kid, and that's why these Isaiah 117 Houses are so important.
Former Dirty Jobs host, and all-around good guy, Mike Rowe is now the host of Returning The Favor, a web series available on Facebook Watch. In the latest episode, Mike spends some time with Ronda Paulson, the founder of the original Isaiah 117 House. It's hard not to be inspired by her passion and love for these kids and this organization. It's easy to see why more homes have been popping up. The episode is less than 30 minutes long and you don't even have to go anywhere to see it. You'll find it below.