Foster parents in North Georgia have another option to get things they need, such as clothes and toys, for their foster children.
Foster Care Closet soon will open for those parents and kids at Westminster Presbyterien Church on Thompson Bridge Road. Kate Lovell is the Foster Care Ministry Coordinator at Westminster Church.
"My husband and I knew we were going to be foster parents, so we started boxing up all the clothes that our kids grew out of," said Lovell. "And then every time my best friend CJ's kids would grow out of stuff, she'd box it up for me and all of a sudden, every closet in my house was full of all these clothes.
"And I was like, 'Gosh, we don't even know what age group we're going to get; I feel bad about all of these clothes not going to use. What if we opened a closet where any foster parent can use this stuff and it just doesn't sit here?'"
After speaking with her church, Lovell was able to get a room in the Westminster Prebyterian church building, clothing racks were donated and the closet is coming together.
Lovell said the goal was to get foster parents, who sometimes get little notice that a foster child is coming into their lives, a place to turn when they need something for those children - from newborns to teens.
"It's just really awesome when we can support these parents so they don't feel like they're alone," Lovell said. "A lot of times, foster care feels kind of dark. There's a lot of sadness in it. So this is a way the community can say 'this is great, we're going to love on these kids while you have them' and that can change their whole life."
A grand opening is planned at the beginning of March.
