It is human nature to give more gentle sounding names to describe the most horrific circumstances. Car “accident.” Home “invasion.”

“Removal” day. 

Removal day is the phrase used by those involved with child welfare organizations to describe the day a child is removed from their home out of concern for their safety by the Department of Child Services (DCS). 

What the general public doesn’t know is that this “day” could be a few hours long, but it’s often longer than that, sometimes even multiple days, where a child has nowhere to go other than the welfare offices while awaiting placement with a foster family.

On removal day, children are afraid and feel alone. They have likely left everything they are familiar with behind. On removal day, children sometimes are hungry and dirty, at the very least.

Simply calling it “removal day” just doesn’t seem to reflect the severe reality of that day for anyone involved. 

In 2017, Carter County resident and foster parent, Ronda Paulson, had a dream to change the verity of removal day and grease the wheels of transition to foster care for our society’s most innocent of victims. 

The seeds of the Isaiah 117 House were planted in her heart and have since spread across the state and the country; there are currently 34 homes open or in the process of opening across nine states. Twelve of those homes are in Tennessee, including Robertson County, which will service the Mid-Cumberland region of DCS (Robertson, Sumner, Wilson, and Montgomery Counties).  

A noble cause, their website tells the story of how Isaiah 117 House came to be. “We asked the question “What if there was a home where children could go when they are removed?” What if there was a safe place with friendly, loving volunteers? What if there was an environment with clean clothes, bath toys, snacks, comfy beds, and toys? What if, instead of cubicles, the traumatized child could see smiles, books, and snuggly blankets?”

The mission of Isaiah 117 House is threefold:

• reduce trauma for children awaiting placement
• lighten the load for child welfare services
• ease the transition for foster families

Each home has an office space for the welfare representative to do their part of the process while volunteers tend to the child(ren), providing a loving environment, clean clothes, toys and of course, snuggly blankets. Each child that comes through the home gets new clothing, pjs, shoes, toiletries and anything they need to ease that transition into care.

The Robertson County expansion of Isaiah 117 House kicked off in 2021, raising awareness of their missions, fundraising, and recruiting volunteers. Thanks to a staggering response from the community, the home is set to open late summer or early fall of 2023. 

The homes completely rely on community donations and volunteers for financial support.

“We have to have community involvement to be successful moving forward,” said Misty Romero, Program Coordinator for the Robertson County Isaiah 117 House. “The homes are truly run by volunteers.” 

Though the world is full of hurt and pain, if we search for solutions instead of merely lamenting the reality, we can all find ways to make a difference. The Isaiah 117 House is the perfect example of this.

If you would like to be involved with the Isaiah 117 House, Misty recommends the following: 

1. Donate Online

2. Invite an Isaiah House representative to present to your group or organization. 

3. Involve the kids and host an Isaiah 117 House Lemonade Stand.

4. Get your swing on at their 2023 Robertson County Golf Tournament. 

For more information about any of the above or other ways to volunteer, contact Misty Romero at robertsontn@isaiah117house.com. 

Isaiah 1:17: "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause."

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