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.
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 resource 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. Foster Love Project was first created to encourage donations new bags of goods for kids who have to change homes without warning. Did you know that their few belongings are usually placed in a black trash bag? FLP bags include all new items of a bag, outfit, blanket, stuffed animal, toothbrush/toothpaste, soap/bath pouf, socks, and a book. These 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.
Check out our selection of videos to learn more about the impact of Foster Love Project and how you can get involved in our mission to empower kids and families who are experiencing foster care!
