3 Ways to Show Up for Foster Families in Your Community

For most people, asking for help may be something that’s looked at as a last-resort option. Three years ago I would have included myself in that group. I consider myself a rather self-sufficient, reliant, and dependable person. 

As I’ve shared in previous posts, that all changed three years ago when we brought our son home from Colombia. While foster care and adoption have some similarities, they also have vast differences. But one thing they both share is a need for care and support. Knowing how to do so in a non-Covid era is difficult, but knowing how to do so while maintaining Covid guidelines is even more difficult. 

So how can we help? How can we help foster families in our community this holiday season? How can we support and encourage them?

Check-In

Send a text, write a note, make a phone call, or even FaceTime. It doesn’t have to be an hour-long phone call to mean something. Families fostering children often feel like they’re on an island and a gesture to let them know you’re thinking of them goes a long way. 

Plan A Coat Drive

For those of us adventurous types, this is right up your alley! I’ve seen some amazing coat drives marketed on social media. Place a bin on your front porch and ask friends and neighbors to drop off their gently-used coats. If you don’t already know of one, find a foster care organization to donate them to. 

Share Your Blessings

Load up on gift cards of any monetary amount and donate them to foster care agencies in need. 

During the holiday season, become a student of your community. Find organizations that are serving foster care families well and see how you can help. Some need help with toy distribution, food drives, and organization. My family and I have had some of the most fun and memorable times serving in our community. 

Quite possibly one of my favorite things I’ve seen this holiday season is a co-worker and her daughter, Nyla, creating custom Stamped Book Stacks. Nyla puts in all of the hard work, and her mom does her thing on social media and sells them for $25 each. Of the $25, a portion of the proceeds go towards purchasing Christmas gifts for kids in foster care. How. Amazing. Is. Nyla?!

Nyla has chosen to purchase gifts through Clark’s Christmas Kids! 

Ask your kids how they want to help this season. You may be surprised with their ideas!

We as a community, part of a greater community, can make an impact on those most vulnerable this season. My hope for us all is to get involved and end 2020 filled with grace, compassion, and love.