Upon turning 18, young adults are no longer eligible to remain in foster care. As a result, many end up homeless.
Donna Cherry, associate professor in the department of social work, is creating a solution to the problem.
“Kids in child welfare seemed to be the most underserved of the underserved,” said Cherry. “They have the least power and the most challenges of about anybody you can imagine. And, so I had an affinity for that population.”
This affinity led to the creation of the Huschka House. Huschka is the maiden name of Cherry’s mother, who is 92 years old and is fondly referred to as “Momma Huschka” on the Huschka House website.
“You have to have a name,” said Cherry. “Why not, you know, have a legacy for my mother?”
The Huschka House, located in Johnson City, Tennessee, will be the first of several.
“We decided that the first one would be all male,” said Cherry. “And then, of course, we’ll need another house for females. I really would like to have somewhere between three to five houses.”
Children who age out of foster care can get on a waiting list for public housing. As Cherry notes, though, “They cannot apply for public housing until the day they turn 18, and the day they turn 18 they are no longer necessarily supported by the state.”
Huschka House functions as a transition place for young adults who have just aged out of foster care and have not yet received public housing from the state. People ages 18 to 21 can stay at the Huschka House for up to 18 months while they make the transition.
“We will provide them with affordable housing and then also some support services if they want that,” said Cherry.
Cherry actively serves the community in additional ways. Every March, she leads a group of students to the annual Social Work Day on the Hill, a conference in Nashville, Tennessee. She serves on the foster care review board at ETSU, and she was recently elected to serve on the International Storytelling Center’s board of directors. In the spring, Cherry joined ETSU and Ballad Health’s Strong BRAIN Institute, which promotes awareness on adverse childhood experiences.
Students are encouraged to support the Huschka House and Cherry’s mission by following them on Facebook, visiting the Huschka House website or emailing Cherry directly at cherryd@etsu.edu.
“My philosophy is to bloom where you are planted,” said Cherry. “Wherever you are, for however long you’re there, there are plenty of opportunities to give back to your community and meet wonderfully generous people and do great work.”
