Over 12,000 youth are brought into foster care in Oregon each year and there are many options to help kids through these difficult transitions. From providing new clothes and toiletries that allow them to maintain a sense of dignity to becoming an approved foster parent, we’ve organized a list of trusted resources below that can help you decide the best way for you to help local foster children.
Options for Foster Youth Donations
Provide New Items for Foster Youth
Children who are brought into foster care are often starting the transition with very few items of their own. One of the easiest ways you can support an individual foster child is to provide them with high quality clothing and toiletries of their own to maintain a sense of security and pride in their possessions. Kids who transition to new homes face many uncertainties and providing them with the support of basic material needs let them know that they are cared for by their community.
Purchase Clothing and Essentials for a Foster Child
If you want to purchase new shoes, clothes or toiletries for a youth going into foster care in Oregon, Project 48 allows you to choose the essential items through Amazon and Target registries. This ensures that you get to decide which items your donations support. You can also purchase items and bring them directly to a foster care donation drop-off center in Portland (see details at bottom of this page).
How to Donate a Essentials Bag for a Foster Child
Children who are brought into foster care are often starting the transition with very few items of their own. One of the easiest ways you can support an individual foster child is to provide them with high quality clothing and toiletries of their own to maintain a sense of security and pride in their possessions. Kids who transition to new homes face many uncertainties and providing them with the support of basic material needs let them know that they are cared for by their community.
Support Trusted Oregon Foster Nonprofits
Another way to support foster youth is by supporting trusted nonprofit organizations that provide a variety of foster care services. The organizations listed below are Oregon nonprofits that collaborate with Project 48 to help kids who are in transition between homes and provide support services as they continue their journey to adulthood.
Project 48
Project 48 is a foster care nonprofit that provides new shoes, clothing, and toiletries directly to kids who are transitioning into foster care in the Portland metro area. They provide high quality items within 48 hours of the child coming into care.
New Avenues for Youth
New Avenues is an innovative social services agency that works in partnership with the Portland area community to provide homeless, foster-care, and at-risk youth of all backgrounds with the resources and skills needed to lead healthy, productive lives.
Oregon Youth Authority
Oregon Youth Authority (OYA) is the state's juvenile justice agency that prepare youth for a crime free life. They provide foster care for youth going through rehabilitation and are an essential support network for underrepresented foster youth in Oregon.
Volunteer with Foster Youth Programs
If you prefer a more hands-on method for helping local children in need, there are numerous foster organizations that need support from volunteers. Common volunteer positions include drivers who bring new items to children in transition, event/support staff, and mentors who provide additional after-school support. Below is a list of our recommended foster child volunteer options.
Driver/Event Volunteers
Project 48 offers many ways to support foster youth as a volunteer. If you want to drive new items to foster kids in transition or support foster care events, you can sign up to become a volunteer who delivers bags, coordinates new item deliveries and supports various donation and packing events.
Mentor Volunteers
Another fantastic way to support youth in foster care is to become a mentor. One of the most important factors in overcoming childhood adversity is a long-term, nurturing relationship with a consistent and caring adult.
Become a OYA Volunteer: https://www.oregon.gov/oya/Pages/volunteer.aspx
Parenting with Intent Volunteer:
https://parentingwithintent.org/get-involved/
ODHS Support
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) provides many foster care volunteer and support opportunities through their website. We recommend reviewing their resources to see if there are other opportunities that best match your foster care support goals.
Learn How to Become a Foster Parent
The biggest gift a foster child can receive is to be placed in a caring foster home. The process to become a foster parent who provides short term or long term care in your home begins with interviews and training courses that ensure you have all of the resources needed to support foster children. More information can be found on the ODHS website: https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/children/fostercare/Pages/become-fosterparent.aspx.
There are three main types of foster care in Oregon: respite care, shelter care, and long-term care. Each of these options require different commitments and training, so you should spend time to learn more about which type of foster care support best fits your goals. We strongly recommend talking with someone about the options to learn more about the process using the resources below:
- Visit Every Child Oregon site and fill out their form to talk with someone about the options: https://everychildoregon.org/foster-care/.
- Call 1-800-331-0503 to get answers to your initial questions, and get connected with a local ODHS office in your county.
