Empowering New Beginnings
When children enter foster care, their world is turned upside down—and far too often, their few belongings are hastily packed into a garbage bag. At Fostering Hope, we believe every child deserves more. That’s why we partner with child welfare agencies to provide Journey Bags—sturdy duffel bags filled with hygiene essentials and comforting, age-appropriate items. These bags offer more than just supplies—they deliver dignity, security, and a small sense of home during one of the hardest moments in a child’s life.
Restoring dignity one bag at a time
Every child deserves to feel seen, safe, and valued—especially during times of crisis. At Fostering Hope, we recognize the trauma children face when they’re abruptly removed from their homes and placed into foster care. It’s a moment filled with fear, uncertainty, and often, a plastic garbage bag meant to carry their entire world. That’s why we created Journey Bags—a tangible expression of compassion and dignity during a child’s most vulnerable moments.
Each year, we distribute more than 1,000 Journey Bags to key agency partners across the region, ensuring children have access to basic hygiene items, cozy comfort objects, and age-appropriate supplies. These bags do more than meet a physical need—they offer reassurance, comfort, and a reminder that they are not alone.
You can be part of this powerful moment of care.
Help us fill a Journey Bag with love—make a donation to cover the cost of supplies or join us as a volunteer to pack and deliver bags to the children who need them most. Together, we can provide dignity and hope, one bag at a time.
With my first fostering experience, I had 2 boys arrive with a few grocery bags of items. The Journey Bags provided so many necessities and reinforced they are not alone in this phase of their life and others care about them.
— Anonymous Foster Parent
Help a Child Start Their Journey with Dignity
Every day, children in transition face uncertainty and hardship, often leaving their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. A Journey Bag offers more than just essentials—it provides comfort, dignity, and hope during an incredibly challenging time.
For just $100, you can sponsor a Journey Bag filled with:
🧸 A cozy blanket for warmth and security
📚 Age-appropriate books to inspire and educate
🪥 Hygiene essentials to restore dignity
🎒 A sturdy bag to carry their belongings and sense of worth
Your donation does more than provide items—it shows a child they are not alone and that someone cares deeply about their journey. Together, we can turn moments of fear into opportunities for resilience and hope.
Make a Difference Today.
Click below to sponsor a Journey Bag and help transform a child’s transition into a step toward a brighter future.
Sponsor a Bag
By designating your donation, 100% of your contribution will be used to build a journey bag for a child transitioning into foster care or residential care. Our 2025 goal is to secure 100 donor designated bags by June 30th. Click below to help us reach our goal!
Fill A Bag/or Pick one item for multiple Bags
If you enjoy picking out the items that will fill a child’s bag, visit our Amazon registry and select an infant, young child, or teen journey bag, and you can fill the bag, or you can choose to purchase multiples of one or two items to help us fill multiple bags throughout the year. Please note that there are a few items that go into the bags that are not available on the registry and will be filled after they arrive at our warehouse.
More than just a Duffel bag
Not only do the Journey Bags provide immense purpose for youth in foster care, but they also support the livelihoods of women who were freed from human trafficking. In partnership with the Aruna Project we are able to provide quality, handmade duffel bags while supporting the employment, housing, and overall care of women who were victims of sex trafficking.
