Imagine that it’s in the middle of the night and suddenly you are being taken away from the comfort of your own bed and placed in the care of complete strangers. You are away from your family and everything that is normal for you and are only left with the clothes on your back. Every day, children are taken away from their families do for unforeseen circumstances and placed into foster care. With the rise in drug issues from county to county more and more children are put into the system.

               At one of the council meetings of the Marion County Extension Homemakers, one member brought up the need that had been brought to her attention by one of the local police officers. He stated that he wished that there was a local organization that could help these children in need. So of course, our member thought of our organization. The issue was put on the agenda and was discussed with the Homemaker council and a plan was set into place.

               Over the course of the next few months, items such as draw string back packs, small blankets, children’s books, stuffed animals and toiletries (soap, tooth paste, toothbrush and shampoo) were collected. In the spring they set a day aside and put them all together. The Marion County Extension Homemakers were able to send 17 complete sets to the local police department to be put in the cruisers and given out anytime a child was taken out of a home into foster care.   

               This community project was such a success that they have extended the collection of more items to be able to donate more back packs to the children in need in not only our county, but in the surrounding counties as well.