The three brothers entered into foster care suddenly, and for the first time, on a late Sunday evening. As the foster parents had little notice beforehand, they were not sure what to expect when the brothers, aged 7, 9, and 10, arrived to their new foster home. When the caseworker brought the frightened boys over for placement, they came only with the clothes on their backs, as well as a few dirty and soiled items in a black plastic bag. With the late hour, and with school and work the next day, the foster parents did not have an opportunity to visit a clothes store and purchase new clothes for the children, nor would they for the next few days, due to lack of time.
For many foster children, this case is all too real, and is a sad reality for both foster parents and foster children. With the many cuts in budget for child welfare agencies across the United States, foster parents are receiving fewer funds from these agencies, making it more difficult to provide for the foster children that come in and out of their homes. To make matters worse, the poor economy has also left many foster parents with less money as they strive to provide such basic necessities as clothing for growing children. As a result, foster parents across the country are struggling to provide for the children under their care. Recognizing this, two former foster parents have dedicated their lives to helping not only the foster parents, but foster children as well, and have established nonprofit agencies to do just that. These two nonprofit agencies, each on separate sides of the country, have changed the lives of those they serve in their respective states, and beyond.
Begun in the basement of founder Leigh Esau, the Foster CARE Closet has helped foster children and foster parents in Nebraska since 2006. Leigh began Foster CARE Closet when she was a foster parent, herself. Leigh had just taken in three foster children into her home, and had an immediate need for car seats, clothing, and baby items. As she began to gather these items, she came to realize that there were many other foster parents in the same situation as she was in, that of not having clothing and other items when children were being placed into foster homes. As a result, Leigh was finding that many foster parents were having to say no to taking placements into their home due the inability to purchasing necessities due to lack of money. Leigh was determined to make finding a better way of helping these foster parents meet the tangible needs of the children, as well as to focus on the emotional needs of these children in need.
The Foster CARE Closet reaches out to all children who are wards of the state of Nebraska and provides free clothing and other items necessary for these children who are placed in foster homes. Since she first began the agency, the Foster CARE Closet has grown, and is now located in a 3200 square foot building, and is set up similar to any other clothing store. Leigh has remained focused and has strived not to grow too quickly as she did not wish to run out of funding. Yet, the financial support has come, and in 2011, over 1400 children were served throughout the state.
Leigh’s organization also offers support for families trying to negotiate a very difficult system, as well as support to case workers and others working in the field. As Leigh states, “We offer support to the families by often serving as a buffer from an upset or angry foster parent and the case work. We spend countless hours just helping caregivers understand the flow of a case and how to communicate effectively with a worker. We work hard with case managers to help them understand where there may be a misunderstanding between the caregiver and the worker. Sometimes just having that neutral party explain to the other how it feels can really help both sides move forward.” Along with this, the Nebraska based Foster CARE Closet spends large amounts of time reaching out to the community in an attempt to educate others on the foster care system and the policies that go along with it. The nonprofit organization also strives to build positive relationships with other in the community, such as child placement agencies, and others that serve families and children in need. Above all, according to Leigh, the Foster CARE Closet “offers hope to those who may feel that there is no other way for life to be.” Indeed, Leigh states that “we try very hard to be the hands and feet of God.”
Tammy McGuire saw the plight of foster children coming into her own home in the state of Florida. As foster children were placed into her home with trash bags full of clothing that were simply unwearable, she decided to make a change in her own community. In all actuality, Tammy began the Foster Closet in a closet in her house. Starting with bins of clothes and other items for foster children coming into her home, as well as for others in her community, she knew that she needed to do more. From there, she borrowed two rooms in her town’s child welfare agency, and then moved into a storage unit after outgrowing the agency’s space. The Foster Closet is now run from a triple size storefront, and uses a verse from the Bible, which states “to look after the orphans (or fatherless)” as their source for inspiration, and use the quote, “Our children have stains on the Inside and don't need to wear them on the Out” as their motto. Since 2009, the Foster Closet seeks to provide “treasures” a placement all to call their own. These treasures, according to Tammy, are the foster children, themselves. Foster Closet allows children and caregivers to “shop” for free in the store. The Florida Foster Closet provides each child with at least 7 outfits, 2 pairs of shoes, a winter coat, summer bathing suit, seasonal outfits, socks, undergarments, 2 pajamas, hygiene products, 10 books, and even purses, jewelry, and prom dresses for those foster girls who are of age. Along with this, they also provide high chairs, beds, video games, and Bibles. Through the past five years, the Foster Closet has helped over 3,000 in five counties in the state.
The Foster Closet also offers a program entitled “Pathway” which provides additional help to those foster children who turn 18 years of age. Pathway allows teens turning 18, and who qualify for Independent Living Programs, with items such as beds, sofas, televisions, dressers, and kitchen, bathroom items, and anything else a teen might use for their new home. As Foster Closet has a moving truck, the Florida based group not only delivers the items to the new apartment, but helps to move the items into the new dwelling. Finally, Foster Closet has begun a new program called Lifeguards, a program designed to mentor those foster children who have aged out of the system. The Foster Closet’s Lifeguards newest program became aware of the fact that those foster children who are over the age of 17 often do not have a mentor in their lives. Recognizing this, Lifeguard places mentors with those foster children who are between the ages of 18-23. These mentors contact their foster child once a week, and meet with them every two weeks, offering advice, help, or simply a listening ear. For some foster children in this program, Lifeguards has helped to provide a driver’s license fee, helped another open a bank account, and for others, simply helped teach them the important lesson of accountability.
As both the Nebraska based Foster CARE Closet and Florida’s Foster Closet are nonprofit organizations, they rely upon donations and volunteers. The Foster CARE Closet is funded primarily through monetary investments of private and business donors. They have also received local grant funding through private foundations, as well. The Foster Closet also depends upon donations from their community, and also hosts two fundraisers per year Indeed, the Florida based Foster Closet also receives funding for the storefront by a local Community Based Care Agency. Both organizations also rely on volunteers, whether it is through one of their programs, or simply by answering the phone and helping to run their stores. The Foster Closet’s Lifeguard mentors are local men who volunteer due to the desire to help foster children in their community, acting as much needed mentors, and depend on 25 volunteers to help run the store.
For the three boys who entered into care with no clean clothes that late Sunday evening, and for the thousands of other foster children on both sides of the nation, and in all parts between, the Foster CARE Closet of Nebraska and the Foster Closet of Florida are not only helping the foster children and foster parents in their own communities, they are leading the way as an example for the entire country.
For more information on the Foster CARE Closet, email Leigh at LeighEsau@fostercarecloset.org, or visit their website at http://www.fostercarecloset.org/ or on their Facebook page. For more information on the Foster Closet, email Tammy at tammy@fostercloset.org, visit their website at http://www.fostercloset.org, on their Facebook page, or at Twitter at @FosterCloset.
Owner/Editor - Chris Chmielewski