Changing Lives One Suitcase at a Time!
September 9th, 2024 by admin
I feel blessed to have participated in the 23rd annual Festival of Children at South Coast Plaza, held in celebration of National Child Awareness Month. Festival of Children is more than just an event - it’s a gathering of hearts and hands dedicated to nurturing and supporting the well-being of our children. It is a testament to the power of collaboration and the unwavering commitment of countless volunteers, advocates, and supporters who work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of children.
I had the distinct privilege of working alongside these amazing people from www.Foreverkids.org at this event. Here is the story: Today there are roughly 450,000 children foster kids in the US. The reality for these foster kids is they move very often. When a foster child has to move, they are often given only two hours to pack their belongings. They are handed a trash bag. Whatever can fit in that trash bag is what they are allowed to take with them and away they go to the next foster home. They may move 10-20 times before aging out of the foster system at age 18. These moves are disruptive and abrupt. The trash bag is a stomp on their self-esteem and self-worth. www.ForeverKids.org wants to change that. Through donations large and small Forever Kids purchase brand new suitcases to “Trash the Bag” being handed to the foster child. Inside the new suitcase Forever Kids includes age-appropriate character-building books to learn valuable life lessons about the virtues of forgiveness, civility, loyalty, kindness and many others. The new suitcases are then distributed to foster agencies throughout Southern California and beyond. Once in the foster agency’s possession they distribute to the foster children in need. www.ForeverKids.org is a wonderful organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children within the foster care system. To watch a heartfelt video reflecting what some foster children have experienced click here: www.ForeverKids.org
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