February is Parent Recognition Month. Strengthening Families Washington, of the Department of Early Learning for Washington State, believes there is no better way to recognize a parent, grandparent, foster or adoptive parent than by acknowledging the numerous and impressive things they do to strengthen their family and those around them in their community.
Seattle's Child is proud to sponsor the Washington Unsung Hero Awards, recognizing our everyday heroes and honoring the important role caregivers play in children's lives. There are 28 nominees for the 28 days of February, and Seattle's Child will highlight each and every one.
Congratulations to the Unsung Hero for February 27
Cindy Walker – Snohomish
I'd like to Nominate Cindy Walker as an Unsung Hero. She exemplifies "Parent" on so many levels. She raised two beautiful girls into adulthood and now enjoys weekly visits from her grandson. Then as a single parent she adopted and raised another girl who is a happy and well-adjusted teen. Most of us would stop and relax with those accomplishments behind us, but she is also fictive mom to several other adults without strong families and has been a foster mom to tens if not hundreds of girls over the last 10+ years. She takes the damaged and broken girls that others are initially afraid to foster. Under her wing these at-risk girls thrive and go on to be members of forever families.
Cindy is also always giving back to the community. She almost single-handedly runs KidsDream of Snohomish County. This program gives back to school backpacks and sports/music scholarships to foster kids and runs a gently used clothing closet for anyone with an open DSHS case. I am amazed at how Cindy makes such a lasting positive impact on the lives of everyone she comes in contact with. Most importantly, I am honored to call her my friend.
Nominator: Anna Kagley
