Help me in Helping Foster Kids
Donation protected
My name is Melissa Lownes!
I am a former employee of a non profit that's main goal is to keep kids safe and families strong. While working there, I found a huge need in my community and took it upon myself to start filling that need, along side my mother in law. My mother in law and I create foster placement bags
WHAT I DO...
As of right now, I reach out to the community for donations of items. I accept anything from used clothes to kitchen decor. I collect these items and host a monthly garage sale at my own home.
I started these garage sales in September 2019, and in my 5 garage sales I've raised over $1500 to date!
WHERE THE MONEY GOES...
I then take that money and buy diapers, baby food, formula, clothing, pacifiers and anything a newborn child to 5 years old could use in foster care. I always buy a few toys too, because every child deserves a new toy! I've even bought items such as Double Strollers, Cribs, PAC-N-Plays, Full Bed, Car Seats and so much more!
WHERE I FIND THE FAMILIES IN NEED...
I've been blessed to marry into a giving family. My mother in law has spent the past 20 years as a foster/adoption placement coordinator for the same nonprofit I used to work for. (I quit after my maternity leave to be home with my son). Seeing where some of these kids come from, her and I started making "Placement Bags" to give to the foster parents. Just basically supplies that any new parent could need, and a few fun items for the kids. Some babies are placed straight from the hospital and have never owned an outfit or toy!
WHY I'M REACHING OUT...
As of now, my system is amazing on a small scale. I'm able to keep supplies stocked but not enough! Just in January alone, my mother in law placed 24 FOSTER KIDS! And each baby placed, was given diapers, clothing and formula! I want to make sure every child is placed with essentials!
MY FUTURE GOALS...
I am currently looking into the process of starting my own nonprofit. One that is simply a family resource center with foster kids as my focus. All the money I raise goes directly to buying supplies for the kids!
So why is my goal $4000?
Well, the last quarter of 2019, I raised just over $1000 with my garage sale method. That money was enough to keep my "kids supply closet" completely stocked and enough to buy some bigger items for first time foster parents. So if I can raise funds at that rate to cover 1 year, then all the additional money I raise hosting my garage sales, can go to expanding how many foster kids I can help!
I am a former employee of a non profit that's main goal is to keep kids safe and families strong. While working there, I found a huge need in my community and took it upon myself to start filling that need, along side my mother in law. My mother in law and I create foster placement bags
WHAT I DO...
As of right now, I reach out to the community for donations of items. I accept anything from used clothes to kitchen decor. I collect these items and host a monthly garage sale at my own home.
I started these garage sales in September 2019, and in my 5 garage sales I've raised over $1500 to date!
WHERE THE MONEY GOES...
I then take that money and buy diapers, baby food, formula, clothing, pacifiers and anything a newborn child to 5 years old could use in foster care. I always buy a few toys too, because every child deserves a new toy! I've even bought items such as Double Strollers, Cribs, PAC-N-Plays, Full Bed, Car Seats and so much more!
WHERE I FIND THE FAMILIES IN NEED...
I've been blessed to marry into a giving family. My mother in law has spent the past 20 years as a foster/adoption placement coordinator for the same nonprofit I used to work for. (I quit after my maternity leave to be home with my son). Seeing where some of these kids come from, her and I started making "Placement Bags" to give to the foster parents. Just basically supplies that any new parent could need, and a few fun items for the kids. Some babies are placed straight from the hospital and have never owned an outfit or toy!
WHY I'M REACHING OUT...
As of now, my system is amazing on a small scale. I'm able to keep supplies stocked but not enough! Just in January alone, my mother in law placed 24 FOSTER KIDS! And each baby placed, was given diapers, clothing and formula! I want to make sure every child is placed with essentials!
MY FUTURE GOALS...
I am currently looking into the process of starting my own nonprofit. One that is simply a family resource center with foster kids as my focus. All the money I raise goes directly to buying supplies for the kids!
So why is my goal $4000?
Well, the last quarter of 2019, I raised just over $1000 with my garage sale method. That money was enough to keep my "kids supply closet" completely stocked and enough to buy some bigger items for first time foster parents. So if I can raise funds at that rate to cover 1 year, then all the additional money I raise hosting my garage sales, can go to expanding how many foster kids I can help!
Organizer
Melissa Lownes
Organizer
Orange, CA