Staff Spotlight: Courtney Farabaugh
Meet our newest official full-time staff member, Courtney Farabaugh. A familiar face to many, Courtney has worked with our agency in many roles since 2015, most recently as a Foster Care Caseworker. After leaving us for a brief time, she returned this month in a new role. Welcome back, Courtney!
Get to know Courtney:
What is your role at Salvation Army and what does it entail?
I have put on many hats here at the agency including a Case Aide and a Foster Care Caseworker, but most recently I am a Family Support Specialist. In my current role, I provide In-Home TBRI support services, complete child profiles, provide Finalization services, and also assist with recruitment, outreach, and training efforts for new and already established families.
What drew you to a career in social work?
I always wanted to have a career focused on helping people but in my freshman year of undergrad I worked at a daycare. While there, a young girl disclosed to me that she and her younger sibling were being exposed to domestic violence within their home. That interaction and process had a huge impact on me and helped me to determine that I wanted to make a career out of helping children in the child welfare system.
If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the child welfare system, what would it be?
If I could wave a magic wand, I would make it so that there was no NEED for a child welfare system. But if I couldn’t go that far, I would poof up a million more resource homes and families who could be committed to loving and healing the children brought into their homes.
What is one piece of advice you have for people considering becoming foster/adoptive parents?
Healing is not linear. Be patient with the kiddos in your home and give them the time and love that they desperately need to heal.
What are you doing for self care these days?
Between grad school, work, and ‘mom-ing” my self-care consists of spending time with my two kids and when I have time, my current zone-out TV show of choice is Criminal Minds
Just for fun…what are your favorite:
- Animal - Big, giant, fluffy dogs
- Color - light purple
- Food - Italian Hoagie
- Ice Cream Flavor - Maple Walnut
- Sport - I don’t do sports but I cheered all throughout school and then a bit in undergrad and coached for a while before my kids
- Vacation Destination - That I’ve been to-- White Mountains, New Hampshire but I have always wanted to go to Ireland
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