Two local women and their families have started up a non-profit organization to help parents who get children placed in their home via foster care.

 

The organization is called The Foster Closet and is patterned after numerous similar organizations that have popped up throughout the United States.

 

The owners are Jennifer Jopp and Shannon Lunser of Becker.

 

“We got into fostering around two-and-a-half years ago,” said Jennifer. “We immediately noticed that many of the kids coming into care didn’t have much to bring with them and were in desperate need of clothes and supplies.”

 

That inspired their  drive to become a company that comes to the aid of mothers and fathers in the system.

 

“Our organization provides clothing, underclothing, some toys and gear and in some cases school supplies to children placed in the foster care system in Sherburne County,” said Shannon.

 

Last weekend, the ladies and their two daughters, Emma (Jopp) and Lucy (Lunser) held a school supply drive and posted an invite to families of foster care children to come and do “some shopping.” They held the event in the basement of “The Hub”,  Becker Baptist’s youth home across the street from the church.

 

Lunser and Jopp started the company in 2015 because they noticed too often children come into care with only the clothing they are wearing at the time of placement. With that in mind, their goal is to supply an Initial Placement Pack (IPP) consisting of approximately five days’ worth of new or gently used clothing and pajamas to each foster child upon placement within Sherburne County.  

 

“When children are removed from their biological families, they lose everything that is familiar to them,” said Jopp.  “They often come into care without any personal items. We want to help.”

 

Currently, Jopp and Lunser accept new and gently used clothing and pajamas to meet the immediate needs of children placed into foster care.  In the future, they hope to offer equipment, shoes, new stuffed animals, gift cards for teens to purchase clothing, and more. 

 

The Foster Closet operates on donations alone, and Jennifer and Shannon volunteer their time to the group.  Their hope through The Foster Closet is that children and foster families will be empowered, encouraged and strengthened.

 

Saturday morning, Jopp and Lunser (and their daughters) opened their doors to families of foster children and provided them with fabric shopping bags and tables-full of items marked to identify children’s ages. Parents who are  “friends” of their Facebook page or have contacted them through their website were notified of the event and given time slots to arrive.

 

“We hope this service we provide helps take the burden off foster parents as they get started taking care of their placed child,” said Shannon.

 

Though immeasurably grateful for the donated space for storage by Becker Baptist, Shannon and Jennifer are desperately looking to find a larger space to store thir items and even open a small store down the road.

 

“A store-front location is our ultimate goal but for now we are just looking for some space to store our clothes,” said Jennifer. “Maybe a business or office-owner might be willing to help us out while we continue to grow and provide these services.”

 

Besides a larger space, the most pressing need Lunser and Jopp are faced with is getting enough of the right kinds of items for their organization and the families affected.

 

“We really need pajamas for the kids and fabric shopping bags, too,” said Jennifer. “And just as a reminder, donations can be a tax write-off for individuals and businesses.”

 

Jennifer says they need jeans for all ages and sizes as well as new socks, t-shirts, large drawstring bags and backpacks and underwear.

 

In Minnesota, approximately 185 children enter foster care per week.

 

Over 50% of Minnesota's homeless youth have been in the foster care system.

 

In 2008, Minnesota had 1,505 state wards – children whose parents’ rights have been terminated.

 

In 2007, both relative and non-relative foster parents provided temporary care to approximately 10,200 children in family foster care in Minnesota.

 

For more information, go to Jennifer and Shannon’s website at: TheFosterCloset.org or their Facebook page at: The Foster Closet of Sherburne County. Jennifer and Shannon can be contacted via email at admins@thefostercloset.org or by phone at 320-493-3729.