ESCANABA – A local organization is working to provide foster children with essential items free of charge.
Jenny Tourangeau, president of UP Foster Closet in Delta County, says her work aims to help not only the children but also the families.
Officially incorporated in 2018, UP Foster Closet of Delta County is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization run entirely by volunteers and donations. It was originally part of Foster Closet of Michigan but became independent in 2018.
“The UP Foster Closet of Delta County provides free essential items to children in (primarily) Delta County who are in foster care or in the care or custody of someone other than their biological/custodial parents, as often as they need assistance,” she said.
Placement options include grandparent placements, guardianships, group homes, power of attorney, adoption preparation centers and more.
“In most cases, children are removed from their families wearing only the clothes they are wearing at the time of removal,” said Tourangeau.
UP Foster Closet offers foster children a combination of new and high-quality/like-new clothing.
“We also provide them with everything from diapers, wipes, toothbrushes and other hygiene products to new car seats, a cot or bed and mattresses if needed,” said Tourangeau.
She added that the organization wants to help families focus on their child or children instead of worrying about what they need and whether or not they can afford the additional expenses.
“If they need it, we will find a way to get it,” she said.
What is impressive is that only three volunteers interact with the families and children.
“There are three of us: me (Tourangeau), Heather Jensen and Jill Young.” she said.
Although they use the services of other volunteers to sort and organize, only the three of them have contact with the children and families.
“Confidentiality and data protection are of the utmost importance to us and are something we take very seriously,” said Tourangeau.
Tourangeau, Jensen and Young all work full-time and are also responsible for managing UP Foster Closet.
Despite other commitments, the three manage to care for 20 to 25 foster children each month. Tourangeau said the number of children cared for varies from month to month.
“August, November and May are our busiest months. During this month we will help almost 50 children as we receive calls for help almost every day,” she said.
Like any volunteer-run organization, UP Foster Closet faces challenges.
“Our organization is funded entirely by donations, so this can be challenging at times because we never know what a child will need and we can only keep so much.” she said.
The community plays a large part in the success of UP Foster Closet by coming to the aid of the child when he or she is in need.
“Our community is great and has really embraced us. The support is wonderful,” she said.
When a foster child needs something the organization doesn’t have, Tourangeau asks the community for support.
“If we need something we don’t have on hand, we can get what we need or the money to buy it by posting a call for help on our Facebook page – often within hours of publication.” she said.
UP Foster Closet welcomes and appreciates any monetary donations it may receive.
Tourangeau said she pays rent for the facility and every other cent goes to supporting children in foster care.
Tourangeau wanted to raise awareness of how many foster children in her state and across the country need help.
“In Michigan alone, there are currently over 10,000 children living in foster care. Nationwide, the number is nearly 400,000, and 100,000 children are waiting to be adopted.” she said.
These alarming figures are likely even higher, according to Tourangeau, as there are many cases where grandparents are raising their grandchildren without receiving support from local authorities.
A sad reality of foster care is that siblings are often separated. Tourangeau said this is because there are not enough foster homes with adequate space, or the foster home does not have the capacity, space or resources to accommodate siblings.
“Being separated from siblings is more traumatic than being separated from parents,” she said.
In addition to the work UP Foster Closet does in Delta County, it also aims to educate the community about the unique features of the foster care system.
“You don’t know what you don’t know.” she said.
She added that there are numerous misconceptions about foster children, their biological parents and the foster care system in general.
“We want to educate the issue, debunk these myths, educate the community and inspire more people to open their hearts and their homes and become foster parents,” she said.
In addition to the Up Foster Closet in Delta County, there are locations in Dickinson, Marquette, Menominee and Iron counties.
For more information about each location, donations needed, and other ways you can help, visit www.upfostercloset.org.
“There is a tremendous need for foster care, not just in Delta County, but throughout the United States. We firmly believe that all children are our children,” Tourangeau said.