Casa de Sueños, “The Dream House”

Tumbleweed’s Casa de Suenos has clothed, fed, housed and counseled unaccompanied refugee minors for more than ten years.

Casa de Suenos is exclusively for the care of unaccompanied minors in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

These are often among the most helpless of homeless youth and have frequently suffered deprivation and trauma enroute to the United States.

At Casa de Suenos, unaccompanied minors receive:

• Safe, secure shelter
• Medical screenings, vaccinations and TB testing
• Individual and Group therapy from a certified clinician
• Clothing, shoes and personal hygiene items
• Enrollment in a locally accredited school
• Tutoring and English language instruction at the program facility
• Regular phone calls home
• Family reunification and pro bono legal services

The property has a small soccer field, a basketball court, a billiard table and other sports and leisure equipment.
Recreational outings have included the Arizona Science Center, the Phoenix Zoo, skating, swimming, nature hikes and movies.

Youth are also provided opportunities to practice their faith of choice.

Casa de Suenos recognizes the resiliency and strengths of the human spirit.

• Minors are supported in making key decisions such as reunification with family members.
• Daily group and house meetings provide emotional support and encouragement during this challenging period.
• Our high staff to youth ratio means there is always someone for the minor to turn when support and guidance are needed.

Donations of food, money, appropriate toys and children’s bedding, event tickets are always welcome.

“Cuando vine a los Estados Unidos, nunca me imaginaba que me iba a poner en un hogar como este. Nos dan de comer.  Nos llevan a varios lugares al parque al club. Nos tratan como familia. Estoy muy agradecido estar aquí.”
– Cliente

Translation
“When I came here to the United States, I never imagined that I would be put in a group home like this.  You feed us here.  You take us to places like the park or the Boy’s and Girl’s Club.  You treat us like family.  I am very grateful for being here.”
– Client

“Working with this population I have come to realize that I truly am blessed beyond measure.  The minors we meet risk there lives to come here to the United States traveling with people they don’t know and often under terrible conditions to have a piece of what I had taken for granted in this country.  It feels good to use the skills I have developed working with disadvantaged youth over the years to help each minor along their journey.”
– Bridgett Bowler, Program Manager