In Kandiyohi County, there are children who live this story in real life more often than we know. Foster families try to make those first uncertain hours and days comfortable amidst the trauma. A group called Foster Stitches, an assembly of foster families, has banded together to try to collect clothing, equipment, and duffle bags together to support children entering foster care in Kandiyohi County. Currently, the group has a small donated space where they store totes of these items to aid in emergency placements. All activities within Foster Stiches are donated and volunteered, including trying to emergently sort out a bundle of items for a child getting placed into a foster home. “I do the best I can when packing a bag for a child, but I don’t know their preferences. I don’t know what might trigger bad memories and I can send the wrong things,” shares Ashley Hanson, a foster mom who helps lead Foster Stitches. “We would love to set up a confidential store where the kids could pick out their things for themselves. Give them some choice and control back in a really hard situation.”

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This wish reached the ears of the Willmar Area Women’s Fund whose work includes trauma informed care. It instantly resonated with the mission of both the Women’s Fund and the Willmar Area Community Foundation (WACF), so the brainstorming began. Soon, pieces of the puzzle came together, and a potential solution was at hand. Bethel Lutheran Church in Willmar agreed to fiscal host the project so charitable funds could be used. The Willmar Ten Investors group offered a space that fit the needs at a deep discount for the first two years to see if the idea could work. “$20,000 in funding and some volunteers are needed to bring this project fully to life. Our Women’s Fund and the WACF are committed to being part of that but we will need help from others who share our belief that we can, and must, do better for our kids,” says Sara Carlson, WACF Executive Director. “Clean donations of contemporary items for children and teens; gift cards to fill gaps in available items; new underwear and socks; new backpacks or duffle bags…it all helps make a really traumatic situation just a bit better. It shows foster families that we care about the work they do and signals that this community is full of caring, kind adults. We can’t all be foster parents, but we all can help children who find themselves in these circumstances.”

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