My online friend "Baggage" (who will always be Cubbiegirl to me) is the adoptive mom of a pre-teen girl she calls Bug.
Her post reminded me of my experience with Elcie when she first came from foster care to live with us. She arrived with one small bag of clothing (purchased by the foster mom). That was it. I had almost no notice and made a flying dash to the thrift stores for clothing and toys and then to the grocery store for food suitable for a 13 month old baby.
Baggage experienced much the same thing with her adopted girl. The children in group homes have little to look forward to during the holiday season (or any other time). The money for more than basic needs just isn't there.
Here's her post. She and Bug will contribute $5 for each person who links to her post between now and Thanksgiving. If anyone can do more, I know the kids will be grateful.
Update: New visitor da poppins asked about a link to the Little Wishes website. Here it is .
I told you all about this last year and I hope you will consider making this part of your holiday giving this year as well.
The program is called Little Wishes. It is a program in the St Louis area which grants Christmas wishes to children in foster care. The wishes vary from action figures, art supplies, popcorn parties, sweaters, a class ring, and art lessons.
In Missouri, most foster parents receive less than $300 dollars a month for foster children. That money has to pay for everything the child needs. Many people are under the false assumption that you can make money doing foster care, however, $300 dollars doesn't begin to pay for just the basics, much less compensate a foster parent for the time they spend caring for the children. Most foster parents aren't rich. They just want to help a child. In addition, many children are living in group homes or residential homes like Bug was, and they don' t have foster parents to buy them any Christmas gifts.
When Bug gave to live with me, she came with two pairs of underwear, three pairs of socks, and a suitcase of clothes that didn't fit her. She had a few dolls, a book, and a pack of play dough. She had never taken dance lessons, gone to mall and picked out a wardrobe, or got to go to an amusement park.
There are over 1,000 waiting children in the St Louis area alone.
If you would like to grant a wish, click here. You can also help by purchasing holiday cards. The money goes to help the Little Wishes program.
Also, if you are going to do any online shopping, please do it through this page.
Each time you do, the online store will donate a portion of the money to Little Wishes. For instance, if you shop at Amazon through that page, 12 to 15% of your total order will be donated.
You can choose a wish by category, child's name or price. Also, there is an option for you to donate additional money in order to help the cover the cost of finding families for children who are waiting to be adopted. You can also give a present in the name of someone else, and the organization will send you a card to give to the recipient.
Please, please consider donating to this very worthy cause. Please tell your friends and family.
Also, from now until Thanksgiving, for every person who posts about Little Wishes on their blog and comments here to let me know, Bug and I will donate an additional $5 dollars. Let's see how much good this one little blog can do.
In Missouri, most foster parents receive less than $300 dollars a month for foster children. That money has to pay for everything the child needs. Many people are under the false assumption that you can make money doing foster care, however, $300 dollars doesn't begin to pay for just the basics, much less compensate a foster parent for the time they spend caring for the children. Most foster parents aren't rich. They just want to help a child. In addition, many children are living in group homes or residential homes like Bug was, and they don' t have foster parents to buy them any Christmas gifts.
When Bug gave to live with me, she came with two pairs of underwear, three pairs of socks, and a suitcase of clothes that didn't fit her. She had a few dolls, a book, and a pack of play dough. She had never taken dance lessons, gone to mall and picked out a wardrobe, or got to go to an amusement park.
There are over 1,000 waiting children in the St Louis area alone.
If you would like to grant a wish, click here. You can also help by purchasing holiday cards. The money goes to help the Little Wishes program.
Also, if you are going to do any online shopping, please do it through this page.
Each time you do, the online store will donate a portion of the money to Little Wishes. For instance, if you shop at Amazon through that page, 12 to 15% of your total order will be donated.
You can choose a wish by category, child's name or price. Also, there is an option for you to donate additional money in order to help the cover the cost of finding families for children who are waiting to be adopted. You can also give a present in the name of someone else, and the organization will send you a card to give to the recipient.
Please, please consider donating to this very worthy cause. Please tell your friends and family.
Also, from now until Thanksgiving, for every person who posts about Little Wishes on their blog and comments here to let me know, Bug and I will donate an additional $5 dollars. Let's see how much good this one little blog can do.
7 comments:
Hey, I was wondering...aren't their local outreach programs with the churches, food banks, Salvation army or such? In my state it seems every store has a giving tree, and I try to find one that benefits foster kids or famlies in Shelters and pick a couple of tags to buy something. I usually over do it because I can't stand the idea of anyone going without. (I am on the West Coast, Washington State)
I always wanted to be a foster parent, but then had four of our own instead...I am gonna go click that link now..
Here by way of the Gobhole...Happy Thanksgiving!
Is there a link to "the little Wishes" program?
I'm not sure what Idaho foster care pays out.
My client gets almost $600 a month for disability and about $75 for state check for disability and they think this is just peachy creamy.
just poppin over to say happy turkey day and hey i know that dapoppins lady! she's a sweety.
Hi Ann ~ Interesting post. I know there is a difference between adoption and foster care. When my kids were adopted, I had to take clothes with me to pick them up and the babies were changed into what I had brought to the home.
I do think that children that are fostered should have quite a lot more
clothes and belongings with them.
Hope all is well at your house Ann.
Take care, Love, Merle.
That's a tremendous cause, and a tremendous effort on their part.
One of the big department stores here has a "Wishing Tree" every Christmas in each store throughout Australia. They have tags on all the trees with identifiers such as 3 year old girl, teenage girl, older man, etc. You pull off a tag or two and then buy a gift suitable for the person nominated.
I do this every year because I hate the thought of anyone not being thought of. For that same reason, we always have extras on Christmas day, people who would otherwise be on their own.
Great post, Ann. I hope it's successful.
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