National Adoption Awareness Month – luggage for foster children

Foster children have to move fairly frequently. Some are lucky and don’t have to move often, but that’s not normally the case.

Many foster kids move with their things packed in garage bags, grocery bags, or whatever happens to be handy. I hate this, and I know many other people do as well. What a horrid message to send a child. Your life is garbage. You are garbage. You’re not worthy.

Sammy came with some of his things in suitcases, but most of it was in garbage bags, some things not packed and at all and so on. When Kory came, everything that he owned fit into a bag about the size of a garbage bag, but came from a retail chain around here called Fleet Farm. If you live in the Midwest you know that big orange back that I’m talking about. Hannah was a different story. She came with her life nicely packed. Love was put into this move. She helped to pack her things so it was done nicely.

When Kory and Mackenzie moved from our home, I very lovingly packed all their things into luggage. They were not going to move with their things in trash bags. They were worth more than that to me. I became very angry when I learned that my cousin’s wife dumped all their things into trash bags because it was “easier to pack into the car” and kept the luggage for herself. (Yes, I have blogged about my dysfunctional family before).

I’m not the only one who feels this way. This website details how you can organize a collection for foster children. A quick internet search will tell you where you can donate luggage, how to organize a drive, or what types of things you can donate. I love this headline from a commentary in Kentucky:

“Kids have baggage, they need luggage.”

Whether you call them bags, suitcases, luggage, or anything else, donate them to a foster child. Sammy still has a hard side suitcase that was used when he moved here. I would never throw it out or donate it. It means a lot to him. He can’t verbalize why, but the fact that I know it’s important is what matters. It will be his whenever he moves out on his own as an adult.

Many social service agencies will accept donations of luggage or suitcases to help kids have appropriate things for packing their clothes and toys. If you have luggage that you do not need but it is still in good condition, consider donating it to a foster child or agency.

If you don’t know how or where to donate luggage, call your local social services agency. Do not just show up with a car load of bags. Most agencies do not have enough room to store what you might show up with. Be sure to ask first.

If you want to take things one step further, you can take a key from this article from Capital University. They took the luggage and hand painted it. They did the same thing in Decatur, Alabama.

Help a child move with dignity by organizing a drive, or making your own donation.

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