Professional Partner of the Month: September 2008
Arlin Smith
"Arlin goes above and beyond what his position requires. He gets the most satisfaction in his job from finding homes for the children, and knowing that he’s impacting their lives through positive placements. And on top of all that, Arlin always has a smile on his face!"
- Amy Lybrand, Senior Case Manager, Families United Network
"Working with Arlin through The Second Mile’s Foster Family program has been such a pleasure. He is always so genuine, positive, and helps wherever he can. His efforts for events such as The Second Mile’s Foster Family Day at HersheyPark are truly from the heart and are appreciated by families and staff alike."
- Melissa Mogle, Director of Programs, The Second Mile
"Arlin puts people and families first. He works long, staggering hours to meet with families, train families, and prepare them to be foster parents. In the process, he makes many friends and creates bonds that last a lifetime."
- Betty Markle, Supervisor, Families United Network, Inc., South Central Office CYS
Arlin Smith has worked the past four years for Families United Network, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (Cumberland County), serving as trainer and recruiter for foster, adoption, and kin-care child providers. He is one of those individuals who is extremely dedicated to improving the welfare of children, and often puts in extra time and effort in order to make a difference for them. Because of this commitment to commonwealth children in the foster care system, The Second Mile is proud to recognize Arlin Smith as its Professional Partner of the Month for September.
Mr. Smith is based in Families United Network’s Mechanicsburg office, but does travel frequently in his role of trainer and liaison with foster families as he prepares to match them with foster children. While this travel might take him to York, Adams, Lancaster, or other counties in the south central part of the state, he works hard to stay in touch with all families that he currently works with, and those that he’s worked with in the past. His colleagues describe him as a man who develops strong relationships with others, due to his open-door policy, and his positive and outgoing personality. Foster families and co-workers alike feel comfortable with him, and will go to him with concerns or issues, often maintaining a strong connection with him over time. A modest man, Arlin Smith in turn cites his colleagues as a fun and hardworking bunch who make his job especially enjoyable.
A primary duty of Arlin’s is to make sure he’s screening families properly to ensure that they’re safe for foster children. One way he gets at this issue is by exploring the motivations of prospective foster parents, to be sure their reasons are pure. This task is also one of his greatest challenges, as he’s trying to find those who understand the value of commitment, and want to dedicate their lives to a child – a rare breed of person indeed.
When the challenge is met, however, Mr. Smith takes great satisfaction in knowing that he’s helping good people in turn help children make balanced adjustments as they prepare for their future. Finding one stellar couple here and another there, and encouraging their entry into the world of foster care, can ultimately make a tremendous difference in the life of a foster child, and in turn, in the lives of all those with whom the child interacts. Mr. Smith’s supervisor, Betty Markle, adds, “Arlin’s philosophy is that ‘there is no greater investment than that of a child.’ Clearly he understands that this may come in the form of direct service to children, but often comes from behind-the-scenes efforts to find fit, quality individuals to take on the role of resource parents.
Where does The Second Mile fit in with his work? Arlin writes:
| | "The Second Mile organization has been a tremendous asset to our program. We being a non-profit company have been enabled to provide some wonderful benefits and activities for our families and the children they minister to. The Second Mile has opened doors and provided many wonderful experiences for our families such as the HersheyPark event and Allenberry Play House to mention a few." |
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The Second Mile, for its part, certainly feels lucky to have partners like Arlin Smith, who refer families to its services, and take advantage of the opportunities that this agency is able to offer.
When asked to offer some personal details, Arlin Smith reveals that he doesn’t just support the foster system through his professional work, but he himself has also served as a foster parent, and more:
| | "I am the father of three boys and one adopted girl. I have six grandchildren, five boys and one girl. I have also fostered several children through the child welfare system. Some other children just showed up with nowhere to go and we just simply took them in as if they were our own. I have served as a youth director of several ministries. I have been involved in starting several churches in New York and Pennsylvania. I also was the founder of a Christian school in West Virginia. My goal in the near future will be to assist a friend to open a youth center in Dillsburg, PA. I just love children and want to help anyone in anyway to minister to their needs. My personal goal is to create a camping ministry for children and their families. To add to that I’m looking forward to creating a foster parent association to minister to the families and children of Families United Network." |
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Arlin Smith is essentially living his life in such a way that he’s serving children professionally and personally on many levels, and true to what he’d call his personal philosophy: “We have been placed here on this planet, not to see through each other, but we have been placed here to see each other through.” Seeing families succeed as foster parents, grow as individuals, and seeing children loved and cared for are Arlin Smith’s way of “seeing each other through.” The Second Mile is proud to name him as its Professional Partner of the Month for September.
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