Creating a Safe Haven: Fixing Up Local DCBS Visitation Room

At Aspire Appalachia, we believe that every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and cared for, especially during moments of transition. Recently, we had the opportunity to pour that belief into action by helping fix up one of the DCBS visitation rooms.

Why This Project Matters

Visitation rooms are the spaces where children in foster care meet with their families. These moments are already filled with big emotions, uncertainty, fear, hope, and love. Yet too often, these rooms are plain, outdated, and far from comforting. We wanted to change that. We wanted children and families walking into this room to feel warmth, comfort, and dignity the moment they stepped through the door.

Transforming the Space

With the help of volunteers and donations, we transformed the DCBS room into a space that feels less like an office and more like a home. Some of the improvements included:

• Décor to brighten the room and create a calming environment.

• Comfortable furniture where parents and children can sit together, read, or play.

• Toys, books, and activities to give children something positive to focus on during visits.

• Soft touches like rugs, pillows, and wall art that make the room feel welcoming and child-friendly.

More Than Just a Room

This project is about more than furniture and toys. It’s about dignity. It’s about making sure children don’t feel like their visits with family happen in a cold, clinical setting. Instead, they now have a room filled with warmth and care, a place that tells them: you matter, and your moments here matter too.

A Community Effort

We couldn’t have done this without the support of our donors, volunteers, and community partners who stepped up to help. Every toy donated, every dollar given, every hour of time spent fixing this space,

each was an act of love.