Throughout history Gargoyles have been used to help protect that which is sacred. At Realworld we think people are sacred and deserve support and protection. Children in the Foster Care system can lose any sense of permanence and may have difficulty attaching to other people. As they move through the system their support network cannot go with them. We try to fill in that gap. The Gargoyle Project is a group of dedicated volunteers who work closely with existing institutions to help provide support and mentoring for kids and families during difficult transitions. Each child is assigned a small group of volunteers who commit to stay with that child, regardless of location, until he or she reaches maturity and graduates High School. Our Volunteer Corps are Realworld Certified, undergo a full background check and an interview process. We use a small group for each child in order to insure long term stability. All expenses incurred are covered by Realworld and not the volunteers.

Eve's Story

Eve (not her real name, but our first client) entered the Foster Care System at the age of two. Over the next 10 years she was moved through about 30 different foster and group homes before landing in a level 14 facility. Against the odds she thrived at this facility and after 2 years was placed in a very positive small group home in a distant county. Even though she was doing well with an exceptional foster mother, she was 14 years old and there was no one in her life (save her CASA worker) who knew her 6 months ago. Imagine being a young teenager and having no childhood friends, no schoolmates, no neighbors, no extended family. How well would you have negotiated puberty if you moved by yourself to a new city every few months? During her stay at the level 14 facility Eve was enrolled in the Somatic Integrity Program offered by Realworld and taught by it’s founder, Angus McIntosh. When she began to feel lonely in her new location she requested that he come see her to continue her training. Angus put together a group of volunteers to visit her. After meeting with her therapist, her social worker, her CASA, and her house mother it became apparent that long term support was what she really needed. Angus and his group of volunteers agreed to stay with her regardless of her situation and location and The Gargoyle Project was born.

We can’t undo what’s happened to these children, but we can do this to help them thrive now. The Gargoyle Project places teams of long term volunteers with kids who have no one else. When you look back at your life do you see somebody who made a big difference? A coach or teacher who gave you a little extra attention? An aunt, uncle, or family friend that would drop in and take you for an outing? Imagine how much more that person would have meant if you’d been all alone.

Each child is assigned a team of 3-4 mentors who commit to see that kid once a month or so until they’re no longer needed. The visit takes no special skill, just spending one day a month with the child and letting them know someone out there cares. We use teams so that every volunteer can take a month or two off if necessary. The presence of these mentors might be the one thing that a child needs to thrive.