NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A group of local mothers is collecting donations to help area kids in foster care.
On Sunday Susan De Ruyter and her daughter spent the afternoon, packing bags full of items so children in foster care have something to call their own.
De Ruyter tells FOX 11…
“When I was a child I had a child out of wedlock and my parents made me give her up for adoption and she was in foster care for three months. So it’s a thing that’s very close to my heart.”
Stories like that are what inspired De Ruyter and her friend Lena Gustman, to collect donations for those children.
“We decide to cover areas that are local to us. I live in Appleton, Susan lives in Neenah, so we reached out to those two counties and they told us those needs are not being met.”
Both Outagamie and Winnebago Counties were in need of different toiletries, clothing, blankets as well as activity books and toys for the kids needing to be placed.
“I know a lot of it is emergency placement that’s why they really need these items. These kids will come to them and they have to place them immediately and have nothing,” said Gustman.
Being able to provide these kids with something as simple as a bag full of necessities, and knowing the impact it will have, is why both women hope their project will continue
“So this is going to be an ongoing thing. Hopefully, the donations keep pouring in the way they are because we have been so blessed. So hopefully this will be a year-round activity.
In Wisconsin, there are close to 7,000 children in the foster care system with more than 1,300 waiting to be adopted.
Click here to learn how to donate.
