Maya Green, Administrative Coordinator

Maya is a graduate of Options High School, graduating Valedictorian of her class in June 2009.  She volunteered with Blue Skies for her Senior Culminating Project in early 2009.  Maya began working part-time for Blue Skies in June 2009 through WorkSource’s Summer Jobs Program.  When the program ended in December, Blue Skies was able to hire Maya to work as an Administrative Coordinator and oversee the One-Time Little Wishes, Back-to-School, and Winter Warm-Up Programs.

Maya understands the needs of our children first hand. She spent time in three

different foster homes prior to the age of 10.  Thereafter, moving to Washington from San Diego, CA in 2001. She moved with her mom, and two brothers to Everett, WA where they lived in a Shelter for a year before moving to Bellingham.

When first arriving in Bellingham, they literally lived in the office of the Lighthouse Mission because the Mission did not have facilities for women at that time.  They then moved in to Dorthy Place and lived there for one year until they moved to Varsity Village in Fairhaven, a low income apartment building, where they stayed for 2.5 years. When Maya was 14, her mom was sent to jail and the three kids scattered to stay with friends.

Eventually, Maya and her older brother were moved to a group home together and her younger brother was placed in different group home.  After 6 months, they were reunited with their Mother, but had no place to live. They went to a local church in Bellingham that helped them pay for a motel room.  The Opportunity Council also helped with temporary housing.  

At the age of 15, Maya’s mom returned to jail and a friend’s family took guardianship of Maya.  Her older brother went into the JobCorp and her younger brother went to live with a friend.  Maya stayed with her friend’s family for three years until moving in with a family friend, where she rents a room today.  It is interesting to note that Maya never went to the same school for two years in a row until she was in High School.

Maya has a very positive attitude and life has given her a strong sense of self. She turned 20 years old in September, and is currently attending BTC in pursuit of an A.A. Degree in the Administrative Assistant Program.  She has gained a great deal of “on-the-job” education over the past year working for Blue Skies for Children. 

Maya says her favorite thing about working at Blue Skies is the people she works with, and how appreciative they are of the work she does.  She loves the fact that she is working for an organization that helped her and her family in the past, and enjoys connecting with our clients and hearing their stories.  She says she is so glad that we can still do what we do at Blue Skies even with this economy.