My Journey Bag for Foster Kids

My Journey Bag - Travel Bags and Essential for Children Entering Foster Care

31 years ago this week at the age of 11, I came home from school and was given a black garbage bag to collect a few of my belongings as I was being taken from my abusive mothers home and placed into foster care. Little did I know I was never going home and was going to need personal essentials like a tooth brush, hair brush, shampoo, a notebook, address book to keep up with friends I met along the way, a pillows, etc. 

That is why I immediately knew that I needed to do something to help when the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors announced the "My Journey Bag" project in conjunction with the Methodist Home for Children because there is a need for over 350 travel/duffle bags and personal essentials kits for kids who range from newborn to 18 who are transitioning from home to home carrying their belongings (should they even have any) in a black trash bag. 

The My Journey Project will provide each child in need with a quality travel/duffle bag filled with essential needs and age appropriate comfort items that will be theirs alone, giving them a sense of pride and self-worth by having something permanent that goes with them on their journey to find a forever home and family.

A typical quality made travel/duffle bag is $25-$30, an Essentials kit is $40-$50, and both would be $65-$80. There are ranges because it depends upon where the bag and kit items are purchased. If you wish one of the optional comfort items to be included in your donation, please adjust your total donation accordingly. ALL donations are tax-deductible. 

Option 1: Provide the journey bag itself (~$25-$30). - Here is a link to $25 duffle bags with optional colors on amazon or a basic black duffle bag. We ask that the bag be new and of good quality so that it will last, NON-ROLLING and approximately 26x12x12. The babies are in need of a good diaper bag. Here is a link to a suggested bag for babies.

Option 2: Provide a kit of basic essentials (Total items cost will range from $40-$50). These age appropriate kits contain tooth brushes, toothpaste, combs, brushes, 

Option 3: Provide both a bag and essential items (~$65-$80)

Option 4: Make a monetary donation (100% will be used by volunteers to purchase more bags or items).

Option 5: Order and have shipped a BRAND NEW Pillow Pet  to be added to the Journey Bag by our volunteers prior to delivery June 1st.

We are also looking for donations of items to go into the duffle bags such as fast food gift cards,  MP3 players, stamps, envelopes, journals, and more. If you have anything like this you can donate several of to be added into the bags please contact me. 

If you prefer to purchase a bag online or supplying essentials that need to be shipped please contact me directly and let me know what to expect so we can confirm receipt. They can be shipped to my office and we will fill them with essentials.  

Commitments to donate must be made no later than May 10th and donations must be received no later than May 25th to ensure we are able to put together the bags to be delivered to the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors and then onto the Methodist Home for Children. 

Click here for a FAQ and more information about the My Journey Bag project with the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors. 

Please also keep in mind that the amounts listed above can vary depending on what contents are added to the bag so you are welcome to add more per child.