Posts By: Melissa Landrau

The Shutdown is Impacting My Family

June 17, 2020 by

Article Thumbnail

I’m writing as a parent that has been impacted by the coronavirus shutdown and lives in public housing with limited resources. I had a child welfare case, but it is closed and my kids are home with me now.

The coronavirus is impacting me and my family — I’m struggling financially, our housing is impacted, and I’m scared to go outside.

The children get home schooling and some activities are fun, some are boring. It’s very hard for my son to get teletherapy (therapy over FaceTime). He wants to go back to school and he is bored.

Still, I try to make sure my kids have good moments, like baking cupcakes in the house. We have had fun playing with Play-Doh and making new things out of it, such as caterpillars and butterflies.

Everything is not perfect but I do my best every day to do what I need to do.

To My Advocate, I Mattered

May 28, 2020 by

Article Thumbnail

Before joining a peer support group, I would walk into the foster care agency ready to raise hell. I was having real concerns about my case. I didn’t feel that I was getting the information I needed. I was struggling and had no one to talk to. I wore my anger on my face and didn’t think twice about lashing out.

Throughout my life, I have been used and let down and I learned not to … Read More

Mommy Time — I had to change for my children’s sake

May 02, 2018 by

Article Thumbnail

I was angry at the world when CPS took my daughters Melanie, 8 months, and Amaya, 1 week old. I’d always wanted to avoid my kids going into foster care because my brother and I were raised in care.

But it was a struggle being 21 with two kids and no support. My relationship with their father was abusive and I was broke and homeless, sleeping in the streets. I robbed stores to buy pampers, milk and clothes.

It … Read More

Back to top