Countywide : Children in Crisis Need ‘Cool Homes’

Volunteers are being sought to provide temporary housing, known as “cool homes,” for children of families undergoing counseling for serious problems.

“It’s a cooling off for both parents and kids,” said Brenda Benedict, crisis services outreach coordinator for Interface, a nonprofit family services group. “If tempers are still high or if kids are afraid to go home, we offer them a safe place to stay.”

Interface now has 10 cool homes and is looking for about 10 more. Interface reimburses families for the children’s expenses during the four- to five-day stay.

Home volunteers are licensed in the same manner as foster families, and undergo a lengthy application process. “We . . . go out and look at the arrangement,” Benedict said.