Jacque Buice-Pape,
MA, M.Ed., NCC, CTSCS
Founder and CEO
MA, M.Ed., NCC, CTSCS
Founder and CEO
In 2003, Jacque Buice began counseling children referred by the Juvenile Court system in Pickens County. "I would borrow a room in the courthouse to see the children, sometimes different rooms. After months of moving around, I felt I needed a better, more consistent place to meet with the children for our sessions. It was confusing to them to move around so much."
The cottage at 2404 Refuge road was purchased that same year and renovation began. The house needed to become a home to receive children in crisis. It needed to be friendly, welcoming and promise comfort and safety. It also needed to be a place of change and renewal of spirit, which is symbolized in Native American culture by the Bear. When the doors opened in 2004, "Jacque's House" had become "Bear Cottage".
"The more I worked with the Juvenile Court children, word spread that good things were happening to help these children and turn their lives around. Parents wanting help before their children were involved with the juvenile system started coming to us for help, but often they had no funds to pay for counseling."
Although Jacque agreed to help these children on a pro bono basis, the number of applicants soon became staggering. It was obvious Collaborations would need to find funding to help so many children. In 2005, 501(c)(3) status was applied for and granted. From August to December of that year, 44 families applied for help. Jacque counseled every family without additional funding.
The cottage at 2404 Refuge road was purchased that same year and renovation began. The house needed to become a home to receive children in crisis. It needed to be friendly, welcoming and promise comfort and safety. It also needed to be a place of change and renewal of spirit, which is symbolized in Native American culture by the Bear. When the doors opened in 2004, "Jacque's House" had become "Bear Cottage".
"The more I worked with the Juvenile Court children, word spread that good things were happening to help these children and turn their lives around. Parents wanting help before their children were involved with the juvenile system started coming to us for help, but often they had no funds to pay for counseling."
Although Jacque agreed to help these children on a pro bono basis, the number of applicants soon became staggering. It was obvious Collaborations would need to find funding to help so many children. In 2005, 501(c)(3) status was applied for and granted. From August to December of that year, 44 families applied for help. Jacque counseled every family without additional funding.
We asked Jacque some questions about the history of Bear Cottage.
Did you ever think you would be managing a non-profit, Jacque?
No, but about 12 years ago, when I was teaching severely, emotionally disordered kids in the public school system, I could see the need for more than a closed classroom. I was seeing kids who really needed help.
The kids could get counseling, why wasn't that enough?
You have to change the environment the child goes home to every day for treatment and support to be effective. The family has to be involved. That does not happen with individual counseling.
What was your dream for these kids?
I wanted to treat not only the child, but influence his/her family and social environment as well. This meant pulling together many different agencies and people to create a plan for each child.
Most organizations treat only the child and they go home to the same situation that caused their problems in the first place. Everything affecting the emotional and basic needs of the family unit affects the children in that family. When basic needs are not being met such as food, clothing and heat, the entire family is affected. A lack of even one of these basic needs can trigger stress and disruption that kids are forced to witness. We have to be family advocates to help relieve the stress.
Why did you begin to call Bear Cottage "Collaborations?"
It takes many partners to make change happen. We saw the need to collaborate and join forces to make real changes in a child's life. Someone has to be the lead person to start and coordinate the process and that's what I have tried to do. However, one person cannot do it all, that's why we need partners and volunteers.
Did you ever think you would be managing a non-profit, Jacque?
No, but about 12 years ago, when I was teaching severely, emotionally disordered kids in the public school system, I could see the need for more than a closed classroom. I was seeing kids who really needed help.
The kids could get counseling, why wasn't that enough?
You have to change the environment the child goes home to every day for treatment and support to be effective. The family has to be involved. That does not happen with individual counseling.
What was your dream for these kids?
I wanted to treat not only the child, but influence his/her family and social environment as well. This meant pulling together many different agencies and people to create a plan for each child.
Most organizations treat only the child and they go home to the same situation that caused their problems in the first place. Everything affecting the emotional and basic needs of the family unit affects the children in that family. When basic needs are not being met such as food, clothing and heat, the entire family is affected. A lack of even one of these basic needs can trigger stress and disruption that kids are forced to witness. We have to be family advocates to help relieve the stress.
Why did you begin to call Bear Cottage "Collaborations?"
It takes many partners to make change happen. We saw the need to collaborate and join forces to make real changes in a child's life. Someone has to be the lead person to start and coordinate the process and that's what I have tried to do. However, one person cannot do it all, that's why we need partners and volunteers.