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Have you ever seen ads or heard about programs that supply kids in foster care with suitcases to make it so they can move with more dignity than throwing all of their belongings in a trash bag? That's such a tangible concept to imagine - of course kids shouldn't have their things in garbage bags. But those ads always make me wonder "what if there were a healthy, familiar grown-up attached to that suitcase?" Isn't that what they really need? Someone consistent they can trust and who knows their story. ✅ Someone who knows what book they're on in the Wings of Fire series, ✅ who knows their favorite type of muffin (not blueberry, cuz mushy fruit=gross), ✅ someone who knows their favorite song ...someone who knows them, and will show up no matter what? Stephanie is that person holding the suitcase. Kids have no control over their situation in foster care. Love Box volunteers like Stephanie make it possible for them to have relational permanency - someone they can count on who will follow them to different placements and through the twists and turns of foster care.
Stephanie can't take away the hurt this child has lived through. But because of you, she can make darn sure this kid knows she is loved, seen, and valued no matter what. Walking alongside a child in foster care means having a front-row seat to their story, celebrating milestones, and offering encouragement through their struggles. Our programs are simple and effective - the social capital that naturally occurs through people helping people has ripple affects for many generations to come. By supporting our programs, you affect significant downstream systemic issues like housing, graduation and poverty rates, and costly health interventions. Whether you donate or volunteer, one yes will change their life forever, and it will change yours too. It was the sixth time these brothers had been removed from their home and put into foster care. Obviously there is never a convenient time for a child to be put into foster care, but this happened to be on Friday night of a holiday weekend, and the first day of the new school year was on Tuesday.  The boys showed up to their foster placement with just the clothes on their backs - nothing else. Our Case Manager went school shopping with the foster mom the next day, accompanying her on the two hour car ride. They bought the clothes the kids would need and gathered their school supplies. Fostering families don't have to do this alone - a Love Box group who had walked alongside this family before was reactivated. By that evening, meals were being delivered and the load was being shared. All for one purpose- that the children were seen, felt safe, and got to be kids on their first week at school. One of the volunteers ended up driving the boys to school every day that week while the caregiver got the bus arrangements worked out with the school. They even got one of those first-day-of-school pictures as well - and this was particularly meaningful because it was the little one’s milestone first day of Kindergarten. Now this sweet boy will have this photo as part of his story. We can all feel how important this is - for these kids to have people who will catch them when their family falls. To make sure they have a safe bed to sleep in, warm food in their bellies, and people who care about their first day of school. 🎓 Only 50% of kids experiencing foster care will graduate from high school.
Through community-supported foster care, volunteers are matched with kids and families in care. They are fierce friends who:
Volunteers show up the way a family would. 💫 |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
September 2024
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