By JEFF STITT
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’
“To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world.”
Those words were spoken by Fred Rogers in the 1980s, and staff members at Auberle in McKeesport are looking to Mister Rogers’ words as they seek donations and try to spread positivity.
Auberle is continuing to provide essential, life-sustaining services to clients during COVID-19 mitigation efforts, and according to spokeswoman Erin Rhodes, the nonprofit agency is in need of monetary donations.
“We exist to help families in need and to provide certainty in troubling times,” Rhodes said. “We are inspired by Mister Rogers’ words to ‘look for the helpers’ in dark times. We are committed to providing a light for all the individuals and families we serve.”
In a recent COVID-19 update, Auberle wrote that “The world around us is a very different and uncertain place. The need for foster homes for babies, shelters for homeless families and mental health support, however, has not changed. That is why we are still here doing our work.”
The work of the agency’s Foster Care Team “doesn’t stop” in the face of a pandemic, Rhodes points out.
“It’s a 24/7 operation,” she said.
“Everybody is going above and beyond. Everyone is doing exactly what’s needed,” Auberle Foster Care recruiter Jeanne Burger said, adding that during the pandemic, foster care staff have been communicating daily with foster families, tracking all their medical, physical, food and day-care needs and notifying Children Youth and Families of families with the most “critical” needs.
“We divide and conquer,” she said. “We’ve been talking on the phone and texting, asking ‘What can we do for you?’”
Rhodes said foster care case aides have been delivering essential supplies to families and that staff is also working with Auberle’s learning innovation coordinator to make sure every school-aged child Auberle serves receives a “STEAM Kit” to help with at-home learning.
STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
Burger said the Foster Care Team’s biggest challenge in the midst of the pandemic is finding a home for a foster child in the event a caretaker contracts the virus.
“We created a disaster plan for the families,” she said. “We make sure they understand COVID-19 symptoms and ask how they will deal with it if they get sick or someone in the family gets sick. We prioritize the families that are struggling. We think outside the box and ask our other foster families if they would take in a child in if a child’s parent got sick.”
Rhodes said Auberle is specifically in need of families willing to foster teenagers.
“The majority of youth in foster care are ages 8 and older,” she said.
Burger said Auberle, like all “essential” service providers, is facing challenges, but she doesn’t only want to focus on the doom and gloom.
“There have been bright spots,” she said, adding that the program has recruited three new foster families, created virtual foster parent training sessions and certified two new foster families.
Burger put one member of her team in the spotlight, saying he has gone above and beyond.
“Our case aide Perry Smith has been a champ,” Burger said. “A family needs toilet paper and he goes to six different stores, finds it and drove it to them.
“This week, we had to move a child to a new home, and we needed to purchase a bed. Perry bought the bed, picked up the child, put his bed together and stayed with him until he felt comfortable. Every one of the families has commented on Perry’s politeness and willingness to help.”
Rhodes said employees like Smith, Burger and the entire Auberle Foster Care Team remind the world that “there’s light in the darkness.”
“They are indeed ‘the helpers’ Mr. Rogers told us to look for,” she said.
Auberle operates more than 20 programs intended to serve individuals and families in need throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. Rhodes said Auberle has not had to close any of its programs, as it is deemed a life-sustaining organization.
“Staff, such as our residential and shelter staff, are still working in the facilities and doing all they can to keep our youth and families safe, healthy and engaged in activities,” Rhodes said.
She said My Best Self program workers delivered self-care kits to all the youth at Auberle and Ward Home’s residential facilities and that The 412 Youth Zone is offering its regular programming plus additional resources virtually via Facebook videos and posts.
The Stop Now And Plan (SNAP) and behavioral health programs are reaching out to clients virtually through tele-health technology.
“Technology has really played a key role in allowing us to reach our clients right now,” Rhodes said. “Our staff’s dedication and willingness to put themselves at risk for the greater good is really the most inspiring to me.”
To donate to Auberle, visit secure.donorpro.com/auberle-donation or auberle.org.
Families interested in becoming foster families can visit www.auberle.org/foster-care or call Burger at 412-779-0322.