Help us provide healing and hope to hundreds of women and children who have suffered the effects of abuse, neglect and trauma.
Vista Maria
What’s One More?
Amy and Walt Cuevas were the parents of two boys (ages 9 and 15) when they adopted Amy’s sister’s child, Naveah (3) and cared for Naveah’s older sister, Alexis (15). In 2013 the family was enjoying a an outing to Cedar Point when they received a phone call that Amy’s sister had left a 5 month old baby in the care of her disabled father. Clearly neglected, the baby came accompanied only by an empty diaper bag. The couple rushed home, cleaned up the baby and immediately took her to the doctor.
Over the next 2 years, Amy and Walt came to care for two more children born with drugs in their systems and displaying developmental delays. Vista Maria facilitated the family’s foster home licensing process and the eventual adoption of the girls.
They worked closely with Tamika Merriman, Foster Care and Adoption Supervisor at Vista Maria. “Completing this adoption was so fulfilling for me because I knew the kids would be well taken care of,” she says, “I love this family.”
Amy says, “Tamika was very good at listening and very good at her job. She was genuinely interested in the well-being of the kids. She gave me faith in the system.”
It isn’t always easy, but Amy wouldn’t want things any other way. “I can’t imagine my life without them. I’m glad the situation happened the way it did so that we had the opportunity to raise these little girls. My husband is famous for saying, “What’s one more?’”
Celebrating 135 Years
On November 22, 1883, five Sisters of the Good Shepherd opened the doors of what was then known as the “House of the Good Shepherd” in the Ward Mansion on Fort Street in Detroit. The very next day the sisters’ first client, “Josephine” arrived on the mansion’s doorstep. This marked the beginning of the organization’s 135-year mission to serve society’s most vulnerable children.
Today, Vista Maria touches the lives of approximately 1,100 youth annually through a continuum of programs designed to wrap around a child and his or her family. The goal is always to restore children to families in home settings whenever possible. When that is not possible, Vista Maria works with the youth in its care to develop a path that includes life skills development, employment experiences and independent living programs.
Without question, the mission begun 135 years ago by the Sisters from across the Atlantic continues today. Vista Maria is the only agency of its kind to provide comprehensive care, treatment, education and development services to Michigan’s most traumatized youth.
Spreading the Word
Get Involved
From an hour a week to an hour a year, there are a number of different ways to get involved. Volunteering at Vista Maria will not only fulfill your need to help others in your community, but has a huge impact on the lives of our youth. Knowing that their community genuinely cares about their happiness and well-being gives them great self-esteem, which is vital in their road to recovery.