From earthquake survivors to hockey players, dozens of teenagers need temporary homes in Snohomish County. Host families are in great demand and summer deadlines are inching closer.
For families with an extra bed and open hearts, this presents a great opportunity. Being a host family can be an eye-opening, international experience. The programs that place teens look for different variables, but a safe home is the common denominator.
Denice MacKenzie, program director for Compass USA, has less than a month to find a dozen more homes for Chinese students who will visit for three weeks. The students survived the Sichuan province earthquake in May. MacKenzie would like to find families who could show them a different America than its television-induced reputation. She can be reached at 425-218-2988.
The Everett Silvertips accept applicants all year, but families should ideally apply before August, said Pat Jones, Silvertips host family coordinator. Families that host athletes become more closely tied to the game, because they’re no longer just watching strangers play.
“It adds another dimension to your life and your kids’ life,” she explained, noting that small children often look up to their new sibling. Families with small children and retired empty-nesters tend to be the best fit, but placement relies on factors such as allergies, appetites and household rules. Curfews, game stress and, yes, even video game systems play a role.
Into Edventures, a nonprofit exchange student organization, places about 40 teens a year in Snohomish County, area representative Jamin Henderson said. The teens come from 69 different countries — by hosting, families can share those cultures and their own, gaining an international experience without going anywhere. Henderson can be reached at 360-661-0552.
College students from abroad also need homes. Edmonds Community College alone places about 600 a year; applications for fall began this week. Families seeking that international connection usually provide the best homes, ECC housing director Luke Botzheim said. These students want to learn more about typical U.S. homes and everyday English — the beauty of the American family is that “typical” and “everyday” means something different in every home.
All of these programs do background checks and most require families to provide the teens with their own bed. Rules for sharing a bedroom with other children vary by program, as do guidelines for providing meals and transportation.
Host families are not tour guides, chauffeurs or party planners. They share their homes and their hearts with someone from outside their culture. These teens become role models and lifelong friends, growing and learning with the family. Being a host family is pure cultural experience. And you’ll meet some great young people along the way.
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