Article March 23, 1998 Issue

ADVOCATING ON A FAMILY'S BEHALF

Rosalie E. Dunbar

Although I am single and have no children of my own, I have always loved children and wanted to do something to help them if I could. At one point I found great satisfaction in sponsoring a child through one of the many organizations that provide assistance to families in need. But I also learned an interesting lesson about being an advocate for young people and their families.

After sponsoring a particular child for some time, and getting to know and love his family, I was suddenly informed by the organization that "my" child had been changed to a different one. There was no explanation for this switch, and at first the bureaucratic machinery seemed impenetrable.

Finally, I discovered that the reason this child had been dropped from the organization was that he had not been brought to have his picture taken at a specific time. It just happened that I knew that his mother was in the hospital at that time and couldn't have brought him. Explaining this and insisting that this child be reinstated—because his economic situation had certainly not changed—I finally persuaded the organization to act.

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