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Imagine yourself as a young child who has been separated from all you know. Your world becomes filled with unfamiliar places and people. With tears in your eyes, you are confused and afraid, wishing you had your favorite blanket or stuffed animal to hold onto.
Every year hundreds of thousands of children in the United States are rescued from abuse, neglect, domestic violence and homelessness. Tragically these children often enter into foster care or crisis shelters with little to nothing of their own.
During what is an unimaginably traumatic transition into foster care or crisis shelters, each My Stuff Bag is a tangible demonstration that reassures these children that they are valued as individuals, and that their personal belongings deserve the same care and dignity that they do.
The My Stuff Bags Foundation provides our nation’s most vulnerable children with new belongings and new hope.
This international nonprofit with California roots has a mission to “expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive.” Kiva creates a platform to crowdfund loans for entrepreneurs who otherwise might not have had the opportunity to start or grow their businesses. They also work to remove other barriers to quality financial services, including money for education, medical care, loans for women- and minority-owned businesses, and equipment investments for small farmers.
Alexandra “Alex” Scott was the beginning and the inspiration for this organization dedicated to finding a cure for childhood cancer. At eight years old, Alex raised more than a million dollars toward this cause, and her parents drive that forward today with Alex’s Lemonade Stand. They fund research on childhood cancer, awareness, and family support.
Project Night Night provides comfort to over 30,000 children experiencing homelessness each year in the form of a new security blanket, a children’s book, and a stuffed animal. These children live in shelters, cars, or hotels with their families and often feel insecure and anxious due to the stressors of their living and financial situations. The Night Night bags provided by San Francisco-based Project Night Night offer a sense of security and comfort, as well as promoting literacy skills through age-appropriate reading.
Schools on Wheels reminds us that 1 in 20 children in California does not have a home, which affects their performance in school and may even lead to dropping out. Their organization matches students with volunteer tutors one hour a week and provides them school supplies and parental support in addition to scholarships and an on-site learning center. Their mission is to shrink learning gaps for students experiencing homelessness and support them during this time of stress and uncertainty in their lives.