Every child deserves to grow up in nurturing, stable environments where they can focus on growing up happy, healthy and ready. When children are removed from their homes and placed in foster care, this can put their early development at risk. These difficult transitions are compounded when young children have special medical needs, which unfortunately can go ignored during this time of change.

That is where United Way Safety Net Impact Partner Respite Care SA steps in, providing emergency housing to children with disabilities and their families. This is the only kind of emergency housing that caters to children with special needs in the state of Texas.

“This facility provides emergency shelter and resident services for children with developmental needs and their siblings,” says Karen, Director of Pediatric Nursing at UT Health-San Antonio’s School of Nursing and Nurse Practitioner at Respite Care SA. “They keep families intact, which is important to us.” Karen provides medical care for the children and families residing at Respite Care SA’s emergency housing regularly and has witnessed the life-saving difference this care can provide.

For these children, identifying their immediate and long-term treatment needs is crucial to ensuring they maintain as stability in their lives as possible.

“Once the child arrives, they’re immediately in our clinic, they have a bed, a meal and we begin to look at their wider needs,” Karen said. Some of these children arrive with their parents or siblings and each member of the family receives health care, a developmental screening and mental health services.

Keeping the cognitive, social and emotional development on track for these children is the top priority for their caretakers while they reside in emergency housing. With United Way’s support, their needs are met by licensed doctors while living in safe, reliable housing after an unprecedented change in their daily lives.

“When kids get to participate in what others may take for granted, they realize they can have those ‘normal’ things too. They can graduate. They can go to college. They can have a happy life,” Karen Schwab says. “And I don’t think they believe it’s really possible until they see it in front of them.”

In addition to the safe housing, parents also have access to quality child care for their little ones at Respite Care SA. This provides peace of mind to parents while they work because they know their children have an expert medical team available to help their children during the day. “This allows families who struggle to find a place for their kids to go, where they can get their special needs taken care of and also be able to go to work, to go to school, so the parents can continue to improve their life and care for their children at the same time,” said Karen.

Your support connects children like this to organizations, staff and medical personnel who can help them grow up healthy and happy on their way to a successful future.

For families like this, unexpected life events can have a ripple effect on all aspects of their lives, including their education, health, safety and careers. Sudden loss of housing or jobs can derail even the most determined individual’s plans for the future. United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County’s Safety Net Impact partners provide emergency and disaster care services to families and their children to help them regain their stability. With this assistance, they can get back on their feet and on track for a bright, successful future.

Most of all, resources like this let children focus on being the children that they are instead of letting life get in the way. “When kids get to do what others may take for granted, like go to homecoming or have their hair done, they realize that they can have those ‘normal things’ too,” Karen says. “They can graduate. They can go to college. They can have a happy home and can live a happy life.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties related to food insecurity, housing, job loss or other unexpected life events, please call United Way’s 211 Helpline. 211 is available 24/7/365 and connects callers to crucial health and human services. It is always free, confidential and available in English or Spanish.

“United Way’s support ensures children are safe, healthy and in a place where they can flourish,” Karen said. “It’s not just support, it’s a transformation.”

Watch Karen’s story on our YouTube channel.