PENSACOLA, Fla. -- There's a place in Escambia County where young people can find a refuge when personal storms are raging in their lives.

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Behind those doors is an amazing woman who is known to move heaven and earth to try to make things a little better for them, whatever it takes.

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At Currie House, she's an Angel In Our Midst.

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"I was shocked at how many children are really in need here in this beautiful place, that was striking to me," Joni Claerbout said. "The amount of services that they provide here, it's faith based, which is wonderful, and it's all about trying to reunite the children with their parents, and giving parents a second chance as well to keep the kids safe."

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That was the calling card that brought Joni Claerbout to volunteer her time, talent and treasures at Currie House five years ago. Outreach coordinator Jamie LaPointe says she's beyond a blessing to the most vulnerable in our community.

 

"Currie House is a shelter for kids ages 10 to 17 that can come and find a safe place. They can come because they're at risk," LaPointe said. "Whether they're run aways, truant, ungovernable, need a time out or maybe things just aren't going so well at home, we are here to provide that service."

 

Joni is laser focused on meeting the physical and emotional needs of every child who comes through the door. Their stories drive her. "Austin, whose mother committed suicide and whose dad dropped him off here, was supposed to come back the next day, and he never came back," Claerbout said. "We met him on Christmas. He had impeccable manners. He was so grateful, and then to find out that he was so broken was craziness. So obviously, we fell in love with him as a family." He is now in his third year of the US Army, and he is getting his degree in diesel mechanics. He's currently in Saudi Arabia.

 

Joni got friends and business owners to donate funds, and supplies. Her optometrist offered eye care and glasses and her hair stylist, Stefanie Bennett, came on board and brought a team with her. "I came in and only had a few haircuts that I did here, and something that just kind of blew me away in talking with one of the boys. We were actually neighbors," Bennett said. "He lived in the neighborhood behind me, and it just opened my eyes up to just a whole new world that I had never been a part of and didn't really know existed."

 

"Each year from then, it has grown, and I knew that I could do haircuts, but I wanted to do more," she added. "That's when we started with the help of clients and my church; we started with the book bags and school supplies and became, or just started a day of it with, hosting them and just getting them prepared to go back to school." At her side from day one were her daughters. To serve others is how she has raised her family.

 

"I remember the first time that we did this; the first year that we did this, my mom picked, or requested, that I come help her on Christmas Eve, and we went to Walmart," Claerbout's daughter Samantha Taylor said. "I was like, 'That is the last place that I want to go to, and we are almost done,' and she said, 'I forgot to get a rug. I said, 'Mother, you don't need a rug on Christmas Eve; we can come get it after the holidays.'"

 

"Well, it wasn't for her; it was for a little boy who all he wanted was to be able to have a rug to put his feet on when he got up," she added. "I will never forget that story, because I remember I did not have a very great attitude, because, again, it was Christmas Eve and I was tired and ready to be home with my family. But none of that matters when you really take it all in and just reflect on it."

 

"How lucky and how blessed you are when what you want for Christmas is a spa day and what these kids want for Christmas is new underwear and a rug that they can put their feet on when they get up in the morning; you can't beat that," Taylor said.

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That's what Joni wants to pass to her grandchildren and generations to come, and to the young people she's able to help, she tells them they only owe her one thing.

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Src: https://weartv.com/features/angels-in-our-midst/currie-house-angel-dedicates-her-time-and-resources-to-help-vulnerable-children-find-hope

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