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Hello, We live in Ca ,and we have 4 fosterchildren. Total we have 7 kids. We are wondering if anyone knows about any support places and such that helps with buying christmas gifts.
Thanks
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In our old County, the SW used to sign our kids up for the Angel tree. The kids put what they would like as a gift (within reason of course) and people from the community get them gifts according to the requests. I would ask your county worker about it....good luck!
Our local office has a christmas party and each kids, foster and bio, gets a gift and a little party. I agree with pp, check with your local county.
If you have toys for tots in your area, that should help with toys for your foster kids (bios too if your income is low enough).
Our county asks for a list from me for the kids. Then they get what they get. Last year the CW gave the gifts to mom to give the kids.
Also watch the Target clearance wracks for great deals.
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Our agency gets all kids in placement presents. I think they have corperate sponsors for each family and somehow our kids get amazing gifts. The agency themselves get each kid (bios included) a small gift for Santa to give them at our holiday party (why call it a holiday party when SANTA is there?) We have lucked out in that way. I have heard other FP using Toys for Tots and some girl scout troops have done specific drives for certain offices. Good luck!! Hope all your kids get something nice!
Our agency has a Christmas party and we have to fill out a list for our kids of things they want/need. They get "angels" to sponsor each child and recommend a $75 contribution. There are usually lots of bikes and many many packages for each child. We let our CW know that we want to keep these things under our tree until Christmas - the hard part last year was one child got a bike and the other didn't... so we changed our plans for "Santa", got the other child a bike and shelved some of her Christmas stuff put up for her birthday instead.
So, I would check with your SW and see if they have anything in place for your FKs before you start worrying about it! (I also check with family members to make sure they are getting FKs and BKs presents so that things can work out for both and I dont need to supplement.)
Last year we got a call from the dept. asking us to give a list of wants and needs for our kids. A local sponsor purchased EVERYTHING on the list! Unbelievable. They threw a party and had us all come for food and fellowship. Santa read a story to the kids and passed out gifts. I hope you have something like this in your area.
I am in charge of the countys christmas party and i have asked businesses in the area for a donation. i couldnt believe how many very big companies said no. But one of the wierdest things to me was a very well known furniture store gave me a gift card for $100. but it could only be used on thier damaged furniture!!!! How can I give that as a gift?
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Here our foster parent association holds a christmas party and gives one gift to every kid in your home (foster, bio and adoptive). Also the local jacees (I think) along with a local tire store chain and tv station collect toys for foster kids at the local christmas parade.
Last year my 2 fks each got about 6 things.
Our angency has a party too, which my bio children will get a gift too. I was just hoping to find places that would help put presents under the tree for them on christmas morning. I looked up toys to tots in our area and that goes though salavation army which we do not have one in our area. My town is small.
I don't know if it will work but try posting your situation on wishuponahero.com or craigslist explain your need and see if anyone responds.... I know someone who did basically the same by posting on craigslist and a local business owner saw it and sponsored the family for the holidays and got everything the kids asked for. I would probably start with wishuponahero because people are going there looking to help i am a little leery when it comes to craigslist but you can always try it.
I just got a letter from the county about an angel tree thing they do here. I won't fill it out because it's for our previous emergency newbie, but I didn't know they did it. Pretty cool!! I bet other counties do too.
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We have a foster parent association party, the agency party, and the county cw that they came from all do gifts for them. I just got my lists to fill out in the mail yesterday, so my 2 fs and I sat down last night and filled them out...they had so much fun doing so!
Our County also has a form we fill out for the kids and then sponsors buy gifts. I didn't fill out the form but BioMom decided to. The kids had a supervized visit and came home with 3 or 4 large bags each full of clothes and toys plus the stuff from the form she had filled out. BioMom didn't have money for housing or to get gas but had purchased all of these gifts. I totally didn't expect it and we had purchased gifts equally for our Bio and Foster Children. My Bio children were very upset that the Foster kiddos got more. I had told my Mom to buy for all the kids and then regretted it because there grandparents also bought for them, so then the Foster kids again got more. If you have contact with Bio Family I would ask what they plan to get. Good Luck! Holidays are tricky. :arrow: