Children of Hope: Backpacks for Foster Kids February Mission Project

For children, being removed from their homes to be placed in foster care is a traumatic experience. The Adult Spiritual Formation team and Children's Ministry are excited to assist Children of Hope in partnership with Polk County Human Services to help ease their pain. We hope to eliminate one small thing that makes the move even more upsetting: the use of large black garbage bags to transport their belongings. With a backpack, children can travel from their home to foster care, to school and other activities, and for overnight visits home. With a backpack, children can travel with dignity and have something to call their own.

How Can you Help? Adult Spiritual Formation Ministry class participants and all small groups are invited to collect new backpacks during the month of February to donate to a child entering foster care. While the backpacks alone are a blessing to the children, additional items can be helpful in their transition. These groups can also donate new hairbrushes/combs and toothbrushes/toothpaste that will be placed in each backpack.

Children's Ministry will collect items for the backpacks according to age:
Age 3-Kindergarten: new, small stuffed animals
Grades 1-3: travel games
Grades 4 & 5: journal and pen

Where do we place our donations? All items listed above can be placed in the brightly colored Children's Ministry collection boxes at the main entrances until March 1. If you have questions, please contact Children of Hope.

Thank you for making a child’s load a little easier to carry during their journey through foster care.