Kirkland based Sibling House will hold its annual fundraiser at The Washington Athletic Club in Seattle on March 22. Revenue raised at the event funds Sibling House’s core programs, including academic support for children and mentorships for foster caregivers, aiding a growing network of over 225 local foster homes.

“We have personally seen that when kids remain with their siblings, it carries over into many different areas of their lives,” said Sibling House co-founder Michael Gaskill. “They do better in school, in relationships with other kids and with their foster families.”

Every year in the United States close to 300,000 children are separated from their siblings when they enter foster care. Sibling House, a nonprofit organization, has a mission of keeping siblings together while in foster care.

Founded in 1997 by Eastside residents Michael and Lynne Gaskill, Sibling House is working hard to fulfill its mission and has provided much needed support to nearly 700 Washington children and their caregivers.

Research compiled by the Child Welfare Information Gateway in 2013 showed that siblings separated by the foster care process “describe this experience as ‘an extra punishment, a separate loss, and another pain that is not needed.’”

Through Sibling House programs, siblings can stay connected whether they are living in the same foster home or not. This opportunity is provided through both academic and social programs that allow them to focus more on being children, than living as a “foster child.” Sibling House’s programs include: mentoring and outreach to homes that take in sibling groups, plus academic tutoring, outdoor experiences in nature, and support for enrichment activities like swimming lessons, little league, trips to the zoo, and more, for foster children.

To purchase tickets to the fundraising auction, contact mgaskill@siblinghouse.org. To learn more about Sibling House and its mission, visit http://siblinghouse.org or email Gaskill.