Help Foster Children Bloom This Season 🥀
- Raintree Staff
- 22 hours ago
- 5 min read
Seasonal Updates & Stories of Hope
Raintree's Renovation is DONE!
The celebratory events:
Soft-opening Day with Our Board of Directors
May 27th
Raintree's Board Members came on campus during our 100th birthday to see the progress that has been made during our renovation.
Centennial Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
June 16th
Raintree's official opening ceremony with staff, board members, The New Orleans Chamber, supporters, volunteers, and more.
Raintree's Centennial Renovation
Nearly a year ago, we embarked on the Raintree Legacy Project to create spaces that better support the children, youth, and families we serve. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors and community partners, these transformative renovations
are now complete. Seeing this vision come to life during our Centennial Year makes the milestone even more meaningful, and we look forward to continuing our campaign as we invest in Raintree's next century of service! At Raintree House, we expanded and enhanced the campus to better support the youth we serve. Improvements include additional program space, new restrooms, an outdoor gathering area where youth can play and connect, and a redesigned kitchen with an expanded pantry and improved functionality.
We also created a dedicated space for therapeutic services and life skills training, along with a new laundry and hair care room designed to support residents' daily living needs and independence.
Raintree's administrative offices were also transformed to better serve children, families, and staff. Improvements include a more welcoming lobby, additional office space, a collaborative outdoor work area, a redesigned staff kitchen and gathering space, and additional restrooms.
Program Updates
Raintree House: We have two graduates who are going to high school! All girls were promoted to the next grade. We are looking forward to an exciting summer, where all girls are participating in VOA workforce development program and are earning money. Not only that, but we also have a resident who received their GED
Raintree House has a great summer calendar such as: journal decorating, yoga, swimming, lunch outings, trips to the movies, book club meetings, and more!
Therapeutic Foster Care: We are proud to celebrate four amazing graduates this year! Michelle graduated from middle school, Jasper completed kindergarten, Azariyah graduated from pre-K, and Emerald also graduated from middle school. Each milestone represents hard work, growth, and dedication, and we are so proud of all they have accomplished. We look forward to seeing them continue to learn, grow, and succeed in the next chapter of their educational journey.
Family Support Coordination:
Allison: when she entered the Early Steps program in September 2025, Allison had significant communication and social-emotional delays, using only gestures and rarely saying "mama." Just nine months later, she is speaking in full sentences, has passed her assessments with the Jefferson Parish School Board, and will not need additional services after aging out of the program. Her family is thrilled with her progress and plans to continue services through September 2026, as she enjoys working with her therapist.
May was Foster Care Awareness Month
Foster Care Awareness Month is a time to recognize the thousands of children and teens in Louisiana who need safe, stable, and supportive homes. Many youth in foster care have experienced abuse, neglect, trauma, or significant loss, making compassionate caregivers more important than ever. Raintree is currently seeking foster parents willing to open their hearts and homes to children with emotional, behavioral, medical, or developmental needs. Therapeutic foster parents receive specialized training and ongoing support to help children heal, grow, and thrive in a nurturing environment. If you or anyone you know is interested, apply today!
Centennial Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
On Tuesday, June 16th, Raintree's Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony transpired, marking a significant milestone in our organization's history.
We celebrated the completion of our year-long campus renovation alongside the donors, partners, community members, board members, staff, and supporters who helped make this vision a reality.
We celebrated the completion of our year-long campus renovation alongside the donors, partners, community members, board members, staff, and supporters who helped make this vision a reality.
The afternoon was filled with excitement, appreciation, and reflection. Throughout Raintree's office, guests explored rooms showcasing photographs and memorabilia from our archives spanning more than 100 years of service to children and families. Attendees enjoyed food, refreshments, and a snowball stand while reconnecting with friends and supporters of the organization.
The event also provided an opportunity to look ahead. Guests learned about Raintree's future plans, the impact of the newly renovated campus, and how these improvements will strengthen our ability to serve children and families for generations to come. As we honored our past and celebrated our present, the ribbon cutting symbolized the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Raintree and the communities we serve.
Trauma Informed Care
Summer is here! Though schools are on a break, trauma informed care is not. Trauma informed care in foster care is an approach that recognizes how past trauma shapes a child’s behavior, development and relationships. The approach involves practices that help a child, over time, feel safe, build trust, experience fewer disruptions and exhibit enhanced emotional and psychological growth. While the school year can offer more predictability, summers can be a bit challenging for a child impacted by the uncertainty and upheaval of a traumatic past.
Below are some tips on providing trauma informed care during the warm summer months:
Focus on Connection- Unstructured downtime can trigger anxiety and feelings of loss in children impacted by trauma. Try prioritizing at least 10 minutes of one on one, low pressure time to build trust (examples-reading, puzzles, playing a board game together, walking).
Maintain Rhythm- While schedules can be relaxed, keeping predictable wake-up times, mealtimes and bedtime routines provides the stability children exposed to trauma crave.
Visual Schedules- Post a picture based daily schedule so kids know what to expect. This removes the anxiety of the unknown and reduces transition related behaviors.
Predictability is safe for children exposed to trauma and creates space for summertime fun!
Autism Awareness
You’ve heard the word Autism, but you don’t quite know what it is?
Autismspeak.org describes Autism as a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social communication skills and repetitive or restrictive behaviors or thinking.
Who is mostly affected?
Autism is a broad spectrum and its impact varies widely. In fact, a lot of adults have gone undiagnosed. Autismspeaks.org reports 4 in 100 boys and 1 in 100 girls have Autism. Boys are nearly 4 times more likely to be diagnosed with Autism than girls.
Early Signs of Autism: Why does Early Identification Matter
Recognizing the early signs of Autism can make a significant difference in a child’s development. Early identification allows parents to access support services sooner. It improves outcomes in social skills, communication, and adaptive behavior.
Signs can appear as early as 12-18 months. Early signs in toddlers look like:
· Limited eye contact
· Delayed speech or language development
· Strong preference for Routine
· Intense focus on Specific objects
By increasing awareness and understanding, we can help ensure that children receive the resources they need.
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