Celebrating 20 Years!

SANDRA WALLACE, COO

If you ever wonder what it takes to manage the daily operations of the Village, meet our Chief Operating Ocer, Sandra Wallace, who is celebrating 20 years of passionate and dedicated service to our children and young adults. She is a certied Child Welfare Case Manager and has a B.A. in Business Administration from Loyola University in Chicago. As an integral part of the executive management team, Sandra has worn many hats during her time at SOS. She has inspired team members, navigated operational hurdles, and has been a soft and kind ear for children to share or voice concerns. Join us for a Q &A as we learn about this amazing woman and the work she does!

Q. What positions have you held at SOS before becoming COO?

A. In 2004, I began my career at SOS as a foster parent for a sibling group of ve. During my time as a foster parent, I cared for 20 girls who I took on vacations to Key West and did other things to help support their growth in the home. Most of the children were reunied with family or adopted. Two years later, I became a Case Manager and continued until 2015. In this role, I was able to lead SOS in transitioning into Child Welfare Case Management, giving us the opportunity to work closely with the families and the judicial system. In 2016, I was promoted to COO. I continue to help SOS evolve with the demanding changes the child welfare system requires.

Q. Share a few words about the people who you lead and why each role is important to the operation of the Village.

A. Each of us is a piece of a puzzle with every person playing a critical role in the lives of the children and families we serve. It ranges from a team member being the rst person making contact with the children when they arrive, to sending them back home on a successful reunication; or assisting our young adults who have aged out of care to transition into their own place. All of us have a key role in making sure there are no gaps in care.

Q. What is your best memory over the past 20 years?

A. The best memory I had was when I was a foster parent, and a new child was placed in the home. This child came with absolutely NOTHING the evening she came into SOS. I gave her some clothing that belonged to me personally and her reaction was absolutely priceless. The next day we went shopping to get her everything she needed, and she continued to be grateful for the items she was getting. Seeing our children come into foster care is a traumatic experience as most of them have less than ten minutes to pack a bag, and some have no time at all. This child was so happy to get her clothing and personal care items and felt safe because of what I and SOS oered her.

Q. This work can be emotionally draining. Was there ever moment when you were ready to give up?

A. The children truly humble you when you work with them directly. This job is a dicultone but the rewards of seeing our children thrive by healing and allowing them to go through the process is what keeps me going. I don’t really remember an instance where I was ready to throw the towel in, but due to the emotional nature of what we do working directly with the children and their trauma, there have been overwhelming moments. Sometimes I will bump into someone in the community who lived at SOS, and as we talk about their experience, it is rewarding to see how much they have grown as an individual and as an adult.

Q. What is a typical day like for you ?

A. My day NEVER goes as planned! There are constant res to put out and my team and I strategically work together to ensure that our teams, foster parents, and children are cared for. I have lots of meetings, training sessions, and I talk A LOT!

Q. Share one or two ways that foster care and the Village have changed from 20 years ago.

A. Look at us now! We were recently honored as the Non-Prot Champion because of our work in the community. We continue to expand. We transitioned from group homes to licensed foster homes, specically training and licensing foster parents for each of the homes. We have been more trauma-focused with dealing and shaping our children’s behaviors. We have amazing programs which continue to grow, with NEXT STEPS for young adults aging out of foster care having the most rapid growth. The program lls a void by helping young adults learn and continue to develop skills they need as adults and go into the world.

Q. What do you want people to know about our children?

A. Our children are very precious, they come to us so broken and hurt. Most of our children accept the help oered at SOS, starting with therapy. Our children wake up with smiles on their faces even after all of the traumatic experiences they have been through.

Q. Anything you want people to know?

A. Thank you for trusting me in the last 20 years and allowing me to take SOS through its journey and growth!