The children that come to our shelter have typically experienced abuse, neglect, malnourishment, and trauma prior to coming to the shelter. One of the most important things we can provide to them is stability and consistency of routine schedules and caregivers. This stability is a necessary ingredient for our children to feel secure and it is something they often lacked before coming to CSC. Visitors and even month long-volunteers may have a lot to offer CSC, but it works against the stability and consistency our children need. Research shows that short-term visits can cause harm to a child's development and well being. These children are at the heart of our mission so their needs come first.
The children at our shelter have a right to privacy. We strive to private a safe and private setting. To have strangers walking through the grounds lessens that privacy. Another reason is that children living in shelter are often filled with hope of being adopted. For many kids this means they may see visitors or volunteers as someone who might want to adopt them. This desire often expresses itself by prompting children to become extra social, or push themselves to perform; hoping the visitor or volunteer will be impressed. Since CSC is responsible for managing the expectations of our children and promoting healthy boundaries, we have to limit and monitor volunteer or visitor interactions with children.
In order for CSC to operate successfully 365 days a year for more than 45 years, we have had to build a system, develop a budget, and hire the regular staff who can provide for our kids. This means that:
- CSC does not have opportunities for volunteers to come and serve meals to our kids.
- Is not available for visitors to celebrate their own birthdays with the kids.
- We generally do not need toy or clothing donations, though if you inquire, we may have a specific occasional need. (Exceptions to this include items on our Amazon wishlist.)
The best way that you can be a part of all that goes on at CSC is to financially support the work. There are many ways you can do this. Please check out our donation page to see the available options. We would love to partner with you to change lives in the Philippines.
