Feature
April
07
From House to Home
by Brittany Hebert
Most people will never know what it’s like to grow up in a world of neglect, abuse or poverty. As human beings we naturally feel for those who are subjected to misfortune. But, there is a special group of people who not only feel for the unfortunate, they have dedicated their lives to helping them rise above misfortune and to live a normal, happy life.
The MacDonell Methodist Children’s Home provides children of local parishes, as well as the rest of Louisiana, with the basic needs of food, shelter, physical and emotional safety, and so much more. At the MacDonell Home, the staff assists children in reaching their full mental, social, spiritual, physical and emotional development. President and CEO of the MacDonell Methodist Children’s Home, Heidi Hillery, calls the agency “the best kept secret in Houma”.
Ella K. Hooper, of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, established the MacDonell Methodist Children’s Home in 1919. Its original mission was as a school for girls, but eventually it evolved into a school for both boys and girls of the Houma area.
The role of the French Mission School ceased around 1949 until around 1953, when the direction of the program changed. With explorations in gas and oil, many men were taken away from home. Families who were affected by these new challenges sought help from MacDonell as the agency began helping children from broken families and single parents. Today, the MacDonell Home serves children with these same challenges but also assists with psychiatric and behavioral matters.
“Many of the children who come to us are victims of physical, emotional and or sexual abuse, neglect, absent parents or they have, a parent in jail for murdering the other parent,” said Heidi. “So, our main mission is to teach coping skills, communicative skills and various other skills to break the cycle of abuse and help the children become productive citizens.”
The MacDonell Home focuses on making children feel comfortable and safe with the people in their environment before they begin treatment. The organization also tries to make children feel as normal as possible. The staff strives to make the children feel included and to feel the same as other children their age. In an effort to achieve this goal, children are placed in various public schools throughout the area and the children in the home’s care enjoy special celebrations, such as birthday parties.
As the state experiences a slue of budget cuts, including the Department of Education, concerns for the Department of Family and Child Services, Department of Health and Hospitals and the Office of Juvenile Justice set in. The budget cuts would reduce the revenue that Child Services receives from reimbursements from each child’s edicaid Insurance. With the absence of money from reimbursements, the MacDonell Home would have to completely rearrange its dynamics. It would have to become physician driven which would cause a restructure of staff, offer 24-hour nursing care and become nationally accredited. Currently, the MacDonell Home solely focuses on children with psychiatric issues. It is not a hospital, but rehabilitation of a child’s development and perception of what is socially acceptable.
To ensure that the MacDonell Home continues to help local children with behavioral issues to become productive citizens, they will need the support of our community. The MacDonell Home currently receives donations from a faithful group of donors, but donations are welcomed now more than ever.
It is vital that the MacDonell Home continue to enable children to live a more fulfilled life. Without the services the MacDonell Home provides the number of homeless, abused and neglected children will only rise. Make a donation and make a difference.
Visit their website at www.macdonellchildren.org for more information.
