People have asked, “Do kids really pack their stuff in garbage bags?” and “Is this really a need?” The answer to each of these questions is “yes”.
Yes. Teens in foster care do sometimes put their items in trash bags when they are leaving a home.
More that 23,000 kids age out of U.S. Foster Care each year. Without that support that comes from an adoptive family or permanency connection, these kids face instant homelessness. Every donation towards our Packing with Purpose Suitcase Donation drive will make sure these teens are not forced to carry their personal items in a trash bag. No Trash Bags here!
While the child may receive a suitcase, later on, it is unlikely they will receive one when they are initially leaving a house. Some foster care agencies may need luggage for kids, but not all do. And if you donate, please be mindful that a 15-year-old ripped or stained luggage does not do any more to help with self-esteem than a trash bag does.
That is why our goal is always NEW luggage for a NEW start.
Our goal is to provide a NEW suitcase filled with basic necessities to 100 young adults who are transitioning out of the foster care system in the Tampa Bay area now through Christmas 2022
How Can You Help?
We are asking for donations for suitcases and all of the items that will go inside of them. We’ve also created a Walmart Registry and an Amazon Wish List page (that we are constantly updating) for you to purchase items and send them directly to us. Please contact us if you want to donate a suitcase or any of the items in person.
Or Sponsor a Suitcase:
Suitcase, Suitcase Plus or Suitcase Deluxe. Click on the image or scan the QR code to donate.
More that 23,000 kids age out of U.S. Foster Care each year. Without that support that comes from an adoptive family or permanency connection, these kids face instant homelessness. At this age, they are expected to move out and start their lives on their own. Many are still in high school and need jobs, transportation, and a place to live.Many will end up with chemical dependencies, criminal records, or pregnancies at a young age. Few will graduate from college.
Without family support, foster teens have experienced the following:
- 10% had children by age 19 and an additional 28% had children by 21
- 20% had been referred to substance abuse treatment by age 19 and an additional 13% between 19 and 21.
- 38% were incarcerated by age 19 and ad additional 27% were incarcerated by age 21.
- 72 hours – youth who are experiencing homelessness are, on average, approached by human traffickers within 72 hours of being on the streets.
- 62% were unemployed at age 19 and 47% were unemployed at age 21
We will be donating these suitcases to these young adults who are aging out now until Christmas. We want to be a blessing and let them know that someone cares for them. These young adults are just as special and deserving of gifts, blessings, and surprises and we want them to feel that way.
ADD The Knighten Project as Your Charity of Choice – AMAZON SMILE!
We are so excited that The Knighten Project is officially listed on Amazon Smile.
Remember, if you want AmazonSmile to donate to The Knighten Project, you need to start each shopping session at the URL smile.amazon.com or with AmazonSmile turned ON in the Amazon Shopping app, and Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases. (click the image)
On your first visit to AmazonSmile, you’re prompted to select a charitable organization from our list of eligible organizations. You can change your selection at any time.
To change your charitable organization:
- Sign in to smile.amazon.com on your desktop or mobile phone browser.
- From your desktop, go to Your Account and select the option to Change your Charity. Or, from your mobile browser, select The Knighten Project with this link
- Note: You can also hover over the Supporting notice in the navigation at the top of any page, and then select the Change link next to the name of the charity you’re currently supporting.
