One of the varied opportunities that this trip provides me is to get to know a little better the local communities I’m visiting in each state. I think this is great because in doing so you get to see many of the distinct attributes of various groups of people. Another aspect of this, though, is that you get to see some of the similarities as well. For example, we all tend to care, and take action, for the benefit of those struggling with difficult situations; even though the form of that charitable outreach may look very different from town to town.
So, one of the goals is to find and spotlight a local charity in each community. I won’t be looking for “The Humane Society” or “The Food Bank” because, despite those being great organizations, my goal is to try and find something with a bit more of a local flavor.
With that I’d like to introduce Mary’s Place in Bend Oregon. The focus of Mary’s Place, a part of Saving Grace, is providing supervised parenting time and exchanges. Typically, this would involve relationships were violence or other abuse has taken place. This provides parents a chance to have meaningful parenting interactions with their children in a safe and controlled environment.
Interactions take place within a day care center, so everyone – most significantly the child – is able to feel comfortable. In their FAQ, Mary’s place describes their purpose as such:
At Mary’s Place, our primary purpose is to prevent kidnappings, injuries, and homicides and to keep the victim and their children safe. We do this by providing safety in three time frames: during the two-hour supervised parent/child visit; during the two years following the parents separating; and during the 20 years of co-parenting. Mary’s Place also supports children in forming safe and healthy relationships with their parents.
Serving approximately 400 parents and children a year, Mary’s place provides their services free thanks to federal funding, family foundations and private donations.
One of the things I really like was how child-centric the program seems to be, this – again – from their FAQ:
At Mary’s Place, children are empowered to feel safe. If they don’t want to do a full visit or exchange, they can stop by to say hello or draw a picture to send downstairs to their parent or simply opt to pass on the visit. Mary’s Place staff support children in setting and maintaining healthy boundaries.
I was really impressed when I first saw their site and read up on the program. I was also a bit surprised that this type of service exists, completely outside of my awareness. While I’m fortunate that I’ve never been in a situation where I’d need this kind of accommodation, it’s really comforting to know that these folks are out there doing this great work.