Out of MY pocket clothing allowance???

one of our kids gets 225 2x year, we pay and get reimbursed with the bi weekly check from our agency, they then get it from the county it comes from. one of our kids got 100 when he came into care almost 2 years ago, the shelter he was in let him spend it (he wasted it on a pair of sneakers and like one other thing) and that was it. our other kid got something once upon a time probably, but has been in care forever so gets nothing now. depends on the county here. two of our boys have jobs, we will buy basics for birthdays and holidays but they buy the rest of the brand name stuff, fancy sneakers, etc themselves. the other is getting a job as soon as he turns 16 cause the allowance we give him isn't cutting it for him. my parents treated me the same way, and i liked having my own money to buy what clothes i wanted. i know your kids aren't job age yet, though. that's nice of your dad to help out right now!

It was sort of expected the kids would be back with mom by now. Typically I'd have 90 days to spend it and submit for reimbursement starting from the day the kids came into care but we've since passed that so I have to get this taken care of asap. I'm lucky I got it at all because of that 90 day rule! But now it makes things a little hairy.

I've offered in the past to donate all my LOADS of baby and toddler clothes to the county for them to disperse to other foster parents with kids that come with nothing but after some checking they said they didn't have room anywhere in their offices to store it. I've been dropping outgrown stuff off at Goodwill because I didn't know what else to do with it all once a kiddo would leave. Perhaps now I'll look into doing some sort of clothing closet out of my house, that sounds like a great idea! I get all sorts of stuff from well meaning family and friends, a lot of it name brand but bigger than the kiddos I care for too. Hmmmm, now I'm really thinking..... Maybe setting something like that up could help out older kids or teens who can't make their clothing allowance stretch as far as babies can.

That's a great idea. I've been thinking of approaching our agency about doing a semi-annual clothing exchange. I don't know if it would work best as a free exchange (everyone getting a voucher for each item they bring in that they can swap for) or to do it like a giant agency wide clothing sale and the proceeds go to the agency for their many programs. Anyway I think it is something tht can benefit everyone.

Here in CA we have a store called "The Children's Orchard" is gently used clothes for sizes 0-7, they have toys, shoes, books even some furniture. They also buy from customers. They only have name brand items and good clothes from old navy etc. My son is always dressed in Polos, Tommy Hillfiger, Ralph Lauren etc. people think I'm rich, if they only knew that I paid 5.00 per item. Check them out, I don't know if they have the stores in other states besides CA.

I am in Texas and we have a resale store run by the Junior League. They give $25 worth of free clothes to foster parents every month. I was just there at my lunch break and was able to get 4 shirts and 4 one piece outfits longsleeve for the baby -- all without paying anything at all.

In Long Island, we get either $200 or $300-depending on age. It's a one shot deal. I'm amazed that one poster gets money for school supplies. I've heard that there's a fund for foster kids to buy birthday and holiday gifts but I always spend out of my own pocket for that.

Here in Iowa, if the child is expected to be here for 6 months or more, then I have received a clothing allowance. It is $250 a child for the whole year and if they are here more than a year, then for the second year they get $200 a child. If they think that the child will be placed shortly with a relative or be able to return home, then no allowance has been given to me. As of October 1rst(I think that is the right date) of this year, they are asking that all foster parents buy the stuff and turn the receipts in to get paid to show proof that clothes were bought. They have always wanted the reciepts, but before sometimes, they would issue the check whereas now, they want you to purchase the items first. If you need to spend the 300 immediately-which isn't hard to rack up!!- and they don't need too much, then you can hit the summer sale rack and buy things that will fit them next summer. Even if you don't have them, it will help out the parents/relatives/whoever has them so they won't have so much to spend. I know I took inventory of snow boots yesterday and it looks like I have to go out and buy 4 pairs of boots and at least another pair of tennis shoes. The one boy just got a pair at the start of school and he already is outgrowing them AND wearing them out. He is rough on shoes!!

Chevy, My agency changed their policy and did the same thing. Other than shopping at GoodWill or other second hand stores, I don't know what to suggest.

Chevy, we have spoken in the past - I am a worker in MN. There has been alot of changes in our county regarding clothing allowance. It used to be automatic. We know look at each child individually and approve the amount that way. I think the most I have been able to approve recently is 200$ for a teenager. It is the budget issue that everyone is facing. So, yes, it started with the state and has trickled on down to the rest of us. In my county, we have a foster parent who started to collect clothes and other items and keeps them in her pole barn for others to come and get what they need. I would also recommend calling other foster parents directly - esp. anyone who does shelter care or emergency placements in your county. When I have come across others who have things to donate I know that we don't have the space at our office I contacted foster parents directly that I knew would take those aged kids. I have also had things donated directly to my parent clients (thru me) that is something else you might ask the workers. If there is any parent clients who might be in need of clothes .....XX size... Just some ideas.

TY Scandi!

Ours was a little weird. The child gets a one time clothing allowance of about $300 when they first go into care, if they need stuff. After that, it is all just incorporated in the monthly stipend. SO - our fs came into care in October and the foster parents he went to used that clothing allowance - by the time WE got him in January, NOTHING FIT! I'm not kidding - this kid grew SO fast once he finally started eating that it was CRAZY!! In the space of six months he grew 6 inches, gained 70 pounds and went from a size 10 to a size 13 shoe. I know boys that age have growth spurts but it was ridiculous, and I'm sure partially related to finally having food. Anyway, the point was that I didn't benefit from his clothing allowance and $65 a month was no where near enough for clothes, so we did spend a long time playing "catch up", putting stuff on credit cards.

We are required to spend $50 a month on clothes for each of the children. This is part of our per diem, so we don't get reimbursed. We are also required to purchase brand new clothes--no second hand stores. We are not supposed to combine two months in one. Try doing back to school shopping on the $50 I'm supposed to spend that month, but if I spend more I still have to spend another $50 in September. We are also not allowed to give clothing as Christmas or birthday gifts. At times my kids have way too many clothes, and other times I have to spend extra money to get something they really need.

In Hawai'i we can get up to $200 (depending on age) every 6 months. It used to be that we were given a PO and had to spend it at one of two stores (KMart & Ross, I think), but since I am a rabid second hand store shopper :) I have always collected my receipts and turn them in every 6 months. I manage to stretch those dollars very far by shopping at the Goodwill, Salvation Army, Savers, etc. It still really deoesn't come close to covering what I actually spend on my kids, but it helps. It is definitely easier with younger kids, but now that I have two 12 y.o. boys... :eyebrows: Especially one of them (my AS) has become very picky about his clothes, name brands, etc. I can still find a lot of them at the thrift stores for cheap, but I know better than to go without him, unless I am absolutely sure about him liking something I am finding. It is funny; my bio son who was an only child, first baby, first grandbaby, etc., with a mom that worked outside the home and made decent $$, was dressed to kill (in NEW clothes!) from the time he was born until probably about first grade. Then in first grade when he was going to school and getting dirty with our lovely Hawaiian red dirt that is indelible and DOES NOT wash out, I started buying him (at first just) shorts from the thrift stores that I didn't care if they got ruined. And then I started seeing what great clothes there were there and for so much cheaper! Just before I became a foster parent I had a very successful eBay business, selling used (vintage!) T-Shirts (that I bought at the thrift stores and garage sales), through doing that my son acquired quite an extensive collection of very cool t-shirts (especially Bob Marley)... Some where along the line he started only wearing rubber slippers (flip flops?) and now, at 12 my child really could not care less what he wears! LOL I DO buy him the Crocs slippers (they do last longer than the $2.99 ones I used to buy him at Longs!), but otherwise, give him a funky t-shirt (or for dressy occasions a vintage Aloha shirt ;) ), shorts and slippers and he is happy. Then I adopted my foster son, who was born in the Mainland, came home to Hawai'i when he was 9 but already ingrained with the Mainland mentality and he wants to wear sneakers (and NICE, expensive sneakers that he wears out FAST!), long pants (doesn't matter if it is 95 degrees outside and they have to walk down, and then back up a hill 5 blocks to & from school). I am trying to get him more into nice surf shorts and slippers and he will wear them sometimes but it is funny to see the difference between the two boys. I end up spending a lot more money on the second one! LOL Sorry to go a little OT :)

In Michigan children coming into care for the first time get a $100 clothing allowance. YOu do receive a certain amount per month in the stipend and also receive a $100 in the fall and spring. I have not had good luck shopping at Salvation Army. I found the clothes to be overpriced. Why pay $3 for a pair of jeans when I can find a pair for $2 at the Childrens Place when they have a sale. Last year the childrens place had an awesome sale and I found shirts and pants for .99. I just had a new placement on Thursday, and the only thing she came with were the clothes on her back. I just bought her 3 pair of shoes and 6 outfits from the childrens place for $80. Not to bad. Also, I shop at Mom to Mom sales. I hit one yesterday and bought shirts for .50 and jeans for $1.00. I even found someone selling whole outfits for $1.00. Very nice quality. I also found a coat for $2.