In our community, we have much to be thankful for. We have incredible opportunities for many people in Columbia, Missouri. I’m never surprised to hear about generous people giving their time and resources to a good cause, and as thankful as I am for that, it is not lost on me that the organizations receiving these gifts exist because they are needed. Rainbow House is a fantastic example of an incredible community asset that has helped innumerable children in mid-Missouri. Through advocacy, crisis intervention, and preventative programming, Rainbow House is a bastion of hope for children going through some incredibly harsh situations, or simply trying to stay out of them.
I want to set the stage a bit further by recalling one of the most heart-wrenching 7 seconds or radio I’ve ever listened to (this does not count Columbia’s annual Miracles for Kids radio-thon for Women’s and Children’s Hospital). In an ad that ran on the Zimmer stations periodically over the past few years, a few kids are offered the chance to talk about Rainbow House and its impact. One young boy, when talking about staying at Rainbow House, commented, “the food at Rainbow House is really good to have.” While it may be easy to chalk up the exact statement to a small child stumbling with words, I have to believe the kid meant what he said. That the food was good to have. Not that it was amazingly tasty (though I’m sure it was), but that it was nice to HAVE FOOD. I’m going to try not to get derailed by talking about childhood hunger, but this is a very serious problem in the United States, with as many as 1 in 5 kids not knowing when their next meal is. Organizations like Rainbow House work tirelessly to reduce these cases in mid-Missouri, and as a part of their broader mission of reducing childhood violence, hunger is all to often a symptom of a bigger problem.
When faced with numbers like that, Rainbow House shines as a beacon in the darkness for children across mid-Missouri through their crisis shelter, advocacy programs, and homeless youth initiatives. Beginning as a place for foster children to stay and maintain a sense of normalcy, Rainbow House opened in 1986 with room for twelve youths from birth to age 18. Now, among other programs, they help homeless youth find direction and assistance. Through their transitional housing program, Rainbow House helps homeless youth, or those trying to escape situations of abuse, a place to get on their feet and reach their long-term goals. Through providing a safe and healthy living environment, over 40 previously homeless youth have been served through this program since 2007. With schooling and job training assistance, this program strives to help these highly at-risk youth live fulfilling lives and stay out of the criminal justice system, where many homeless youth may end up without intervention.
Where Rainbow House really shines in my mind is with their crisis care. In what was arguably an opinion ahead of its time, 1992 saw Rainbow House open crisis care to families to voluntarily place their children while the parents worked through a crisis such as a lost job, homelessness, or mental health issues that would result in an unsafe environment. This opened new opportunities to prevent the conditions that create violence and neglect, rather than waiting until violence is occurring and a state agency must intervene. Rainbow House has empowered local families to deal with crises in a healthy manner, while maintaining their independence. This preventative approach strengthens families and fosters community trust, encouraging more families to feel safe utilizing Rainbow House in this capacity.
Rainbow House also serves as a safe and welcoming space for children who are victims of physical or sexual abuse. Through partnerships with many state agencies, they serve to keep some stability in the lives of these children, when possible helping sibling stay together, and keeping kids in their home school. When a child comes to Rainbow House, they may be experiencing confusion and pain, and the amazing staff are uniquely trained to help them work through these feelings in productive ways, and clinically trained in house staff provide counseling and other supportive care during this trying transition.
In 1998, Rainbow House began its Child Advocacy Center. Alongside the supportive care and housing services offered by Rainbow House, they also serve to assist law enforcement, medical, and mental health professionals care for children in suspected abusive situations. When a child comes to Rainbow House, their on-staff forensic interviewer can help determine what is going on in the child’s home life and establish whether abuse or neglect is occurring. Mental health and medical professionals can then work together on a course of action to help not only the child, but the entire family heal when possible.
That last sentence really is the only one that truly describes the impact that Rainbow House has on our community. While I have not even come close to adequately explain everything they do, helping entire families heal may just be the best descriptor. Cycles of abuse and neglect don’t end without the supportive care and parental training and counseling provided by Rainbow House. They serve on average over 200 children each year. Through the support of our community, they can serve even more. To paraphrase the young boy earlier, when it comes to organizations I’m proud to see in Columbia, Rainbow House is good to have.
Please consider supporting Rainbow House. You can learn more at: https://rainbowhousecolumbia.org/index.html
On April 13, 2019, Rainbow House is having their annual Gala, check out how to get involved here: https://e.givesmart.com/events/cvU/
Check out the community events section of this email for more ways to help Rainbow House and other great local organizations!