A 13-year-old boy has a simple wish: blue Converse sneakers, size 9. Another boy, 14, wants an extra-extra-large hoodie. Two teen girls are hoping for warm coats this Christmas.
The wish lists of teens sheltered by Cocoon House are heartbreakingly modest. These kids aren’t asking for video game consoles costing hundreds of dollars. One 16-year-old boy wants “anything basketball” and some large white T-shirts.
This Christmastime, there’s a new way to donate to kids sheltered by the Everett-based nonprofit. Cocoon House giving trees, decorated with tags listing teens’ wishes, are up at two Lombardi’s Italian Restaurants in Snohomish County. Donors are asked to pick a tag from either tree, at Lombardi’s on the Everett waterfront or in Mill Creek, buy the item and return the gift to the restaurant by Wednesday.
Kerri Lonergan-Dreke, Lombardi’s proprietor, said the Cocoon House trees will likely become an annual tradition at the restaurants. For 11 years, she said, Lombardi’s in Everett has hosted a graduation celebration for teens who have been in foster care. The outreach to Cocoon House is one more way to help.
While many groups provide toys at Christmas, “the teen segment is sometimes forgotten,” Lonergan-Dreke said Thursday. “This is a group that really needs help right now.”
The restaurateur wants to bring holiday cheer to Cocoon House kids but also hopes to raise awareness of the agency’s mission.
Founded in 1991 as an Everett teen shelter, Cocoon House has grown to serve homeless and at-risk young people through housing and other programs in Snohomish County. Along with emergency shelters in Everett and Monroe, Cocoon House has long-term housing in Everett and a facility for homeless teen mothers and their children in Arlington.
Lonergan-Dreke said the Lombardi’s staff has “adopted” a very young family. They will buy gifts for a 17-year-old Cocoon House resident, her 2-year-old daughter and her infant son, who is due next month.
Cassie Franklin, the CEO of Cocoon House, said the agency is serving about 200 young people and several babies. All will receive Christmas presents.
“The majority of our kids are between 12 and 20,” Franklin said. Some are at Cocoon House because they have no safe home. Others are living away from their families due to conflicts. Some have struggled with drugs, alcohol or school troubles.
Cocoon House offers shelter, structure, a caring staff and the chance to engage in education or work. Franklin said some teens get to go home for Christmas, but many cannot. “It’s a tough time of year for these guys. We make it extra special,” she said.
When staff members talked recently about baking cookies, one girl shared that she had never celebrated the holidays. “A lot of these kids haven’t come from families that do anything,” Franklin said.
On Monday, Franklin came to work to find that a resident had decorated the living room with paper snowflakes. “We decorate for Christmas. A couple years ago, we had folks donate artificial Christmas trees,” she said.
Franklin appreciates volunteers who come to Cocoon House to help with art projects or make gingerbread houses. Art supplies are always needed, she said.
Every kid at Cocoon House gets one special present, a gift card and perhaps some smaller items. They write wish lists when they arrive.
Like all teens, Cocoon House kids enjoy shopping for themselves. Franklin suggested gift cards to Fred Meyer, Amazon or for haircuts. Other gift ideas include headphones, PG-13 movies, infinity scarves, backpacks, nice hair products, pretty throw pillows and Vans sneakers in all sizes. “Our kids never have enough shoes,” she said.
Cocoon House keeps extra gifts on hand.
“Last year on Christmas Eve we picked up a girl and her baby through the national Safe Place program,” Franklin said. “She had gifts on Christmas morning.”
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.
Cocoon House gifts
Lombardi’s Italian Restaurants in Everett and Mill Creek have giving trees bearing tags with the holiday wishes of homeless young people at Cocoon House.
Donors are asked to take a gift tag from a tree, buy a gift and return it to the restaurant by Wednesday.
Lombardi’s locations: 1620 W. Marine View Drive, Everett, and 19409 Bothell-Everett Highway.
Gifts for any Cocoon House teen also may be brought to 2929 Pine St., Everett. Information: www.cocoonhouse.org/index.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
