Some adjectives used to describe Dawn Bouton, St. Jude House’s new children’s advocate, include patient, passionate, kind, and encouraging.
Before taking her new position as children’s advocate back at the beginning of May, Bouton served as a client advisor for St. Jude House.
“There are many aspects to this position, and overall it has been a great adjustment. I’m very happy with it,” Bouton said.
Some of Bouton's daily duties include facilitating school enrollments; holding one-on-one sessions with both parents and kids; organizing children’s, parenting, and engage groups; assisting with childcare when needed; and reaching out to local organizations to let them know of the services that St. Jude House offers.
“Every day is different, and every family is different. That’s what makes this job so great,” Bouton said.
When the new position presented itself, Bouton knew it was meant to be.
“I’ve always loved working with children; it has always been such a passion of mine. I have four children of my own, and I always am looking to help others,” she said.
Bouton truly believes in the organization’s mission and has seen the impact it has had first-hand.
“We see a lot of families and many children here at St. Jude. Although we are considered a short program, I feel that we can make a big difference in a short amount of time. We play a big part in connecting them with resources within the community that will continue to help them after they leave St. Jude,” Bouton said.
Although she has only been in her new position for a short while, Bouton has already managed to bring the Engage program back to life. Some of the Engage events that clients attend include movie nights, painting nights, and more.
“These kinds of activities are very important. Clients get to relax a little and spend time together with their children. The programs also encourage them to try some of the other programs we offer,” Bouton said.
Bouton also noted that the staff at St. Jude House plays a big role in operations and the overall mission.
“We have a great team here. Everyone is passionate about what they do, and everyone is always willing to help each other out and figure out how we can best help our clients,” she said.
Looking forward, Bouton wants to continue to grow within her new role and reach as many families as possible.
“I want to continue to develop and promote the programming we have here at St. Jude. We’ve been trying to add more programs and continue to work on moving forward and continuing to improve,” Bouton said. “I also want to continue to do more outreach at local organizations such as YMCA’s, schools, and Boys & Girls Clubs.”
Overall, Bouton is grateful for her work with St. Jude House and couldn’t have found a better career fit.
“I want everybody to know what a great place St. Jude House is. We really care about everyone we serve here and are so passionate about helping our families. We strive to make a difference and impact on all of our clients’ lives,” Bouton said.
For more information about St. Jude House, visit https://www.stjudehouse.org/.