In a heartwarming partnership that embodies the spirit of National Adoption Month, Closet Factory, a renowned provider of custom-designed organizational solutions, joined hands with HFS Adoption & Foster Care, Southern California’s oldest adoption agency, to help transform the lives of foster youth in Los Angeles.
This past November, representatives from Closet Factory and HFS staff and board members gathered at the HFS headquarters in Echo Park. Julie Brown, Executive Director of HFS, and Kathryn LaBarbera, COO of Closet Factory Los Angeles, joined foster parents Rebecca and Luis Bardales and Hacienda La Puente School Board Member and former foster youth Stephanie Serrano to announce the donation of more than 300 travel bags for foster youth.
Too often, children entering foster care are forced to leave their homes with their meager belongings packed into black trash bags. Recognizing the urgency to restore dignity and respect to these young lives, Closet Factory Los Angeles initiated the “Closet Factory Care Bags for Kids Program” to provide foster children with high-quality travel bags, ensuring that they transition into care with compassion and dignity. HFS collected personal items like toys, hygiene kits, books, and school supplies to include in bags to help children during the difficult transition.
Los Angeles County has the highest population of foster children in the nation. Many of these children lack basic personal belongings, and the indignity of carrying their few possessions in trash bags when moving between foster homes only makes their experience more difficult.
For those interested in contributing to this ongoing program, donations can be made through HFS’s Amazon Wish List, which includes items such as toys, school supplies, and personal care items for children of all ages. Donations are tax-deductible and will help brighten the lives of foster children. Visit HFS’s wishlist at www.hfs.org for a list of needed items.
