Resources for
Children, Foster Parents, and Agency Workers

We provide support and encouragement for the Foster Care Community

Help us bring a Christmas of HOPE to kids in foster care in our community!

We are partnering with NewsTalk KZRG & KSYN 92.5 to provide gifts to over 600 kids involved in our local foster care system.

We can’t do it without our amazing community!

Here is how YOU can help!

*Sponsor a child for $50

*Join us for our shopping day on December 11th at 9:00am at 15th Street Wal-Mart.

Hurting children. Hurting families.
Everyone is searching for hope.

Foster Care Support in Joplin, Mo - Girl and Woman Walking

In the 7 counties Fostering Hope serves there are…

775 children in foster care
335 foster care families
175 agency workers

All looking for support to make it through today.

Fostering Hope is a safe place where children and families feel seen.

At Fostering Hope those in the foster care community will find…

Support in their time of need.

Clothing, toiletries, and toys to aid the transition into foster care.

Stability within the chaos.

The ways you can serve

  • Children often come into care with only a few belongings. Our Caring Closet locations provide for the basic needs of children in care. We accept new or gently used items. Items can be dropped off at either location during our open hours.

    Items we accept:

    New/gently used clothing & shoes

    New socks & underwear

    Toiletries

    New/gently used toys

    New/gently used bedding

    Items we do NOT accept:

    Used car seats

    Used mattresses

    Household items

    Furniture

  • Birthday cards are mailed out to each child in the counties we serve.

    We want every child in foster care to know that regardless of their current situation they are special and thought of and who doesn’t like receiving fun mail!

    We partner with Sonic who provides a coupon for a free kid’s meal to place in each card.

  • Fostering Hope mails books to more than 15 children each month along with an encouraging card.

    We think it brightens someone’s day to receive mail meant just for them & for no particular reason!

    We want each child to know that they are amazing, special, important, unique, precious, and loved.

    We are able to send new books each month through community donations.

with Children

  • When a family takes a child into their home, it is a time of adjustment that can sometimes be stressful with the addition of new schedules, appointments, and settling into a routine. In an attempt to be of help during this often hectic time, Fostering Hope provides a freezer meal to the family. It also gives us an easy opportunity to let them know about the other resources available to them through Fostering Hope.

  • Mom's Craft & Coffee Night

    Fostering Hope enjoys getting to host a craft & coffee night each month for foster and adoptive moms. These nights provide a relaxed and fun environment for these ladies to spend an evening together creating something beautiful, encouraging one another, and being able to connect with others who understand their struggles and emotions.

    Foster Parent Night Out

    There are so many amazing foster parents in our community and they do not often get the recognition they deserve for the hard work and time they daily put into caring for the children in their home.

    The purpose of this program is to spotlight a foster family each month so that we can publicly and personally thank them for what they have done and are continuing to do.

    Fostering Hope provides a gift card to a local restaurants so the parents can enjoy a night out. Families are selected based on nominations and are highlighted on our Facebook page.

  • Each year we partner with Zimmer Radio’s NewsTalk KZRG to host the Christmas of Hope campaign. Christmas of Hope is a program that allows our community to come alongside and support foster families by helping to provide gifts for the children in their care. While one of the goals of Christmas of Hope is to support these families by easing the financial burden that often comes at this time of year, the primary mission is to show these children and families that they are loved and supported by their community. Wish lists are collected from each child and then a BIG shopping day is held where volunteers shop for gifts off of each child’s wish list.

with Families

  • Fostering Hope provides snacks to local foster care agency offices during their monthly all-staff meetings. This is a small but effective way we can support these workers. It lets them know that they are being thought of and appreciated and it gives them a little something to look forward to each month.

  • Fostering Hope provides a bag of goodies to agency workers during the month of their birthday. It is an easy way to celebrate them & provide them with some snacks!

  • Appreciation Breakfast

    An annual appreciation breakfast is held each November to honor and appreciate those that work within the foster care system.

    Staff Appreciation

    Fostering Hope partners with all County Children’s Divisions we serve during their annual staff appreciation week. We help to cover the cost of food as well as a fun event during the week.

with Agencies

Steps to volunteer today…

Step 1
Fill out the volunteer form.

Step 2

Find a time to volunteer.

Step 3

Bring support and encouragement to the foster care community.

Foster Care Support in Joplin, Mo - Girl Reading

The impact Fostering Hope volunteers and partners are making…

Foster Care Support in Joplin, Mo - Child Icon

800+ children in foster care served annually.

Foster Care Support in Joplin, Mo - Home Icon

300+ foster, relative, and kinship homes supported.

Foster Care Support in Joplin, Mo - worker icon

150+ child welfare agency workers encouraged.

You can make a difference in the foster care community

Help bring support, encouragement, and hope today.