[story by Rebekah Poling, Development Director, North Texas]
Christmas came five months early for our foster kids in the DFW area this summer. There was an overflow of compassion and generosity for LSS-Foster In Texas (FIT) children, as members of Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Flower Mound, St. Peter Lutheran Church in Roanoke, Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Colleyville, Calvary Lutheran Church in North Richland Hills, and Our Savior Lutheran Church in Rockwall gathered school supplies and backpacks through our “Christmas in July” project. Churches were encouraged to display a Christmas tree in their lobby during the five Sundays in July, and were given little “angels” to decorate the tree – each with the name and age of a foster child and their need for a backpack and school supplies.
The children served by LSS-FIT most often come into our care with nothing more than a small Wal-mart sack of personal items – and those are the lucky ones. The school year fast approaches for hundreds of kids who sometimes must do without. The task of providing for all of the children’s school materials falls on the shoulders of the foster parents. We want to empower and encourage our community to do their parts to lighten that load and support the people doing the hard work of ensuring these kids are rehabilitated.
Back-to-School Bash
Each church collected dozens of backpacks and school supplies, and right before school started, Calvary Lutheran Church hosted a “Back-to-School Bash” where the families could bring their children to pick up their backpacks, needed school supplies, play games, have lunch, do a little arts and crafts, and enjoy time together as a family. The church even recruited volunteer haircutters who spent hours donating their services to the kids. It was such a special time!
Our next foster care event will be a Fall Festival in Richardson, and we also have a Thanksgiving assistance program and a Christmas angel tree project with a Christmas party coming up.
Contact Rebekah Poling, if you want to be involved: 940-368-6832, Rebekah.Poling@lsss.org. We’d love to have your help!
