For a number of years, Grimes County has lacked a “Rainbow Room” for Child Protective Services, in the cases of children being removed from homes.
But, what exactly is that, and what will it provide? Susan Boudreaux of the Grimes County Child Welfare Board explained the potential agreement between CPS, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
“It’s a resource room, where we can provide materials and equipment for children to meet their basic needs when they are taken from their home, in an emergency situation” said Boudreaux. “We have been very fortunate to partner with St. Paul’s, because there was a room available there. Our problem for the longest time in Grimes County was…we just did not have anywhere to put it.”
She says the church will have a door accessible from the outside with a keypad, where only CPS workers can access the items inside any time of day or night. It will contain clothing, diapers, and anything that revolves around basic needs for a child.
As far as the items go, normally you might think donations would be needed, but not in this case.
“The items for the room itself will be purchased, because everything has to be new. We are not like a clothes closet, where we take things that have been used. That is our next project, to form a non-profit in association with out group,” said Boudreaux.
The county Commissioner’s approved that deal with St. Paul’s Episcopal and CPS for a Rainbow Room in Navasota. Also approved at that meeting was the creation of the non-proeft, called “Friends of Grimes County Child Welfare Board,” where people can donate to the cause.
Details on when exactly the Rainbow Room would be ready for use were not made available.