Good News: Local church creates "Bags of Hope" for foster children | Good News | fox23.com

Oct 24, 2024

A local church is helping support kids in foster care. They’re putting together “Bags of Hope” and need the community’s help.

A local church is helping support kids in foster care. They’re putting together “Bags of Hope” and need the community’s help.

Inside those bags are essentials like a toothbrush, hygiene products, and even comfort items like a stuffed animal. Leaders at West Tulsa Church said building these bags of hope have a personal meaning to them.

"We woke up that morning just going about our day and a phone call changed everything and we were foster parents,” said Tara Summers.

Tara Summers is one of the masterminds behind West Tulsa Church's mission this winter to make bags of hope. She's also been a foster mom.

"We turned our home upside down in a day and took in two kids that night. They lived with us for two years. We were able to help their family get back together. They got to go back home to their family,” said Summers.

She said the kids came with the clothes on their backs and their school backpacks, a case that's all too familiar.

"This is very close to my heart, because I know that some kids walk in with nothing,” Summers said.

Lead Pastor Devon Rogers has been a foster dad, too. So, putting together these bags of hope is personal to him. He hopes the kids that get them feel the love that was poured in from the community.

"Foster care is a terrible situation and it's difficult for everyone involved. So, we're trying to share a little hope. It's tough for foster families to get new children they don't know, tough for the kids getting removed from their homes, and it's tough for the biological parents,” Pastor Rogers said.

The drive started this month. They have 70 bags already, but need enough donations to reach their goal of 360 bags to hand out.

"The deadline is around the first week of December so we can start to distribute them for the holiday season,” Rogers said.

One way to get involved is by going to church's website where you can access the lists of boys and girls of different age groups, buy the things on the list and drop it off at the church. You can also donate online.

"If they can't go purchase the items, they can donate financially and we will make sure all of that is given to items for the bags,” Summers said.

You may remember Pastor Devon. Last year, they did "Kicks For Kids" and distributed 400 pairs of new shoes to kids at Eugene Field Elementary. This year, they're going a little bigger to help kids going into foster care in Tulsa County.

For more information, click here.

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