Angels Give Joy to youth in foster care

Butler County area residents are unknowingly walking among “angels” this Christmas season. Businesses, churches and individuals have been filling the duties of “angels” to provide for the families on the Give Joy Angel Tree project.

Give Joy has been happening in the community for three years. Businesses and individuals started in the middle of September by contacting Mary Haldeman of the FosterAdopt Connect program to learn how they can Give Joy.

Haldeman explained to them, they could put up a tree with information regarding specific children, host a toy or gift card drive or give a monetary donation.

She has fostered children for 20 years and finds it an honor to play a role in connecting sponsors to children in need through FAC Give Joy.

“When someone contacts FosterAdopt Connect SEMO to ‘adopt a child for Christmas,’ we refer them to the businesses that have Angel Trees,” Haldeman said. “There, they will find all the information needed to make Christmas special for a child involved in the child welfare system.”

Last year, Haldeman said, “we purchased and were gifted several dozen Walmart gift cards by companies such as Coffman & Company, and we used them predominately for teens who prefer to shop for themselves and most of whom were close to aging out of the foster care system.

“Beyond that, we dispersed dozens of new presents to families who shop at our clothing closet, Sammy’s Window.”

Last year, “Hefner Furniture hung dozens of ‘angels’ on their tree and all of them were shopped for very generously,” she said. “The number of children who benefited from FosterAdopt Connect Give Joy was probably around 125.”

This year, the number is greater because the Hefner Furniture angel tree already has found sponsors for more than 60 youths and children involved in the child welfare system. Coffman and Company and some local churches and individuals have also donated gift cards to give to the older youth who want to shop for their new apartment or pick out their own outfit or shoes.

The ages FosterAdopt Connect serves are from newborn through age 26.

“These young adults have aged out and need help making ends meet,” Haldeman said.

Because most organizations find it easier to accumulate gifts for children ages newborn through age 7, FosterAdopt Connect SEMO “makes special requests to not forget our youth,” she said. “This year, our angel trees were filled with predominately teenagers who are at risk of aging out of the foster care system without a family.

“Our hope is to remind them that people care about them, regardless of how lonely they may feel. Thankfully, new presents are dropped off for younger children so we can focus on teens to receive gift cards and be ‘adopted’ from the angel trees that our community partners put so much work into.”

There is still time to participate in Give Joy, as well as receive from FAC Give Joy. Because of the short time until Christmas, “we ask that those who would like to give would share gift cards or financial donations so that when children and teens come into foster care or a grandparent unpreparedly takes in a grandchild between now and Christmas, we will be able to help those specific children,” she said.

“Since we don’t know ages and genders until they come into placement these last days before Christmas, having gifts on hand can be helpful, but having the capacity to buy specifically for them is very special to these children who are generally in a state of shock and despair as they are being removed from home right before Christmas.”

Haldeman shared a special story from last year’s Christmas season.

“A young teen moved in with a great-grandmother in a very modest living environment,” Haldeman said. “This teen was not only ‘adopted’ by Hefner staff, but the great-grandmother was, too. The items the family asked for were extremely small, which made those shopping for the family want to give even more.”

The young teen texted Haldeman ‘this will be the best Christmas I’ve had,’ and he also said, ‘I bet people are nice to kids like me so that when I grow up I can be nice to kids who have a hard life.’

“This warmed my heart, as well as the hearts of those who shopped for him,” she said. “And he’s right. We hope that the kids not only get gifts, but the greater goal is that they feel hope and love and are inspired to be givers of hope one day when they can.”

Volunteers were touched by several youths this year who asked for pots and pans, bedding and silverware.

“Those types of requests make us want to give all of that, plus much more,” Haldeman said. “These are the things that humble us, and help us realize that we have so much to be grateful for, and have so much opportunity to give.”