Providing foster children with comfort and security
Throughout the month of January, the Awana Club and Youth Group at the Verndale Alliance Church was collecting items to make duffle bags for foster kids in Wadena County. This is so that they can have a sense of comfort and security in bringing with them their own important personal items.
Items they have gathered for this goal included: backpacks or small duffle bags, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, brush, small mirror, stuffed animal, blanket, small pillows socks and pajamas for elementary aged and high school age children, books, coloring books and crayons for elementary age children and journal and pen for older children.
The idea came from an employee at Wadena County Human Services.
“It’s gone even better than I imagined,” said Polly Uselman, Children’s Ministry Director at the Verndale Alliance Church. “People can always bring a canned item for the food drive we do every year, but this is something different.”
Uselman and another church member have already put together two filled duffel bags. Numerous items have already been brought in and sorted into boxes, ready to fill more duffle bags.
“Depending on the needs of the county, we will probably do this again,” said Uselman.
Did you know...
In Minnesota, almost 15,000 children experienced out-of-home placement care in 2016?