The Story
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They arrived at our door with a trash bag of a few dirty belongings. Three faces (ages 5, 3, & 8 months) stared at us as we stared back at them. The case worker handed us a few clean diapers and one dirty bottle and drove away. Did we really have any idea of what it meant to be foster parents? Foster training versus reality hits you very quickly! We introduced our four year old and two old to them and began the transition of what it would look like to go from a family of four to seven with a few short hours notice.
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This scenario played out several times for the Hughes family during a year when we fostered seven children. Our final two foster children ended up needing a permanent home and we welcomed them as our official children through adoption in the summer of 2015. But our hearts were still burdened for ways to love and care for kids in foster care as well as support kinship and foster families who are caring for children in transition.
With often short notice of their arrival, it can become a scramble for foster parents to have basic clothing and necessities for the children. The Foster Love Project was first created to encourage donations of transition bags. Did you know that their few belongings are usually placed in a black trash bag? Transition bags include all new items of a bag, outfit, blanket, stuffed animal, toothbrush/toothpaste, soap/bath pouf, socks and a book. Transition bags can be placed in the hands of newly arrived foster children and give them some small comforts, meet some basic needs, and give them something to call their own.
It is a joy to see our programs expand in order to provide love and support to in our region who experience foster care or adoption.
Kelly Hughes | Founder of the Foster Love Project
Foster Love Project Milestones
2014: first Transition Bag Drive was held.
To date, more than 14,000 FLP transition bags have now been distributed throughout 4 states.
2017: opened the first free shopping center for kids in foster care in Western PA.
More than 500 kids shop at our center each year for clothing, diapers, baby gear, toys, books, bedding, luggage and more.
2018: started our Angel Tree gift program of providing gifts for kids during the holiday season.
2019: held our first foster / adoptive family retreat with more than 300 participants.
2020: inaugural Back 2 School event to provide brand name shoes, a hoodie and backpack for kids as they head back to school.
2020: expanded our Excellent Hair Care Program - designed to provide resources, education and products to BIPOC kids to ensure they are receiving excellent hair care.
2021: began our Teen Connections Program - mentoring support for teens who have experienced adoption or foster care.
2021: In October, FLP moved to a new location that is more than double it's previous space!
2014: first Transition Bag Drive was held.
To date, more than 14,000 FLP transition bags have now been distributed throughout 4 states.
2017: opened the first free shopping center for kids in foster care in Western PA.
More than 500 kids shop at our center each year for clothing, diapers, baby gear, toys, books, bedding, luggage and more.
2018: started our Angel Tree gift program of providing gifts for kids during the holiday season.
2019: held our first foster / adoptive family retreat with more than 300 participants.
2020: inaugural Back 2 School event to provide brand name shoes, a hoodie and backpack for kids as they head back to school.
2020: expanded our Excellent Hair Care Program - designed to provide resources, education and products to BIPOC kids to ensure they are receiving excellent hair care.
2021: began our Teen Connections Program - mentoring support for teens who have experienced adoption or foster care.
2021: In October, FLP moved to a new location that is more than double it's previous space!
Our Mission |
The mission of Foster Love Project is to provide love in action to foster children as well as support to the families who are providing care for them. This is lived out in our vision of providing impactful resources to empower children in transition by building up dignity and self-worth, to create a better future.
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