On any given day, hundreds of thousands of children and teens in the United States are living in foster care. They didn't choose it. Many have moved from home to home, changed schools mid-year, and left behind friends, pets, and belongings. What they need most is what every kid needs: stability, someone in their corner, and a chance to just be a kid.
Not everyone can be a foster parent, and that's okay. There are many ways to help, from a few hours a month to a single care package. Here are 15 of them.
If you can give your time
1. Become a CASA volunteer
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), also called volunteer guardians ad litem (GAL) in some places, are trained community volunteers appointed by a judge to speak up for a child in foster care. You get to know the child and the people in their life, then help the court understand what the child needs. Because a volunteer usually handles just one or two cases, they can give a child focused attention.
You don't need to be a lawyer or social worker. Programs typically ask volunteers to be at least 21, pass a background check, complete about 30 to 40 hours of training, and stay with a case until it closes, often a year and a half or more. Find a program near you through the National CASA/GAL Association.
2. Be a mentor
A steady adult who shows up, again and again, can change a young person's path. Mentoring programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters and many local foster care agencies match volunteers with kids and teens in care. Ask your local child welfare agency what mentoring programs they work with.
3. Provide respite care or become an approved babysitter
Foster parents need breaks too, but they can't just call any neighbor to babysit. Many states let friends and community members get approved for respite care or babysitting, which lets a foster family run errands, rest, or go to an appointment. It's one of the most practical gifts you can give. Ask a foster family you know, or your local agency, what's involved where you live.
4. Tutor or share a skill
Frequent moves often leave kids in foster care behind in school. Tutoring, teaching an instrument, coaching a sport, or helping a teen with a resume can make a real difference. Agencies and group homes often welcome skilled volunteers.
If you want to support foster families
5. Bring a meal
When a new child arrives, often with only a few hours' notice, the first days are a whirlwind. A dinner on the doorstep, a grocery delivery, or a gift card for takeout says "you're not alone."
6. Offer practical help
Rides to appointments and family visits, help with laundry or yard work, or lending a car seat or crib can lift a heavy load. Ask specifically: "Can I drive the kids to practice on Tuesdays?" is easier to accept than "Let me know if you need anything." Our free kindness vouchers make offering help easy.
7. Be a steady friend to the family
Foster parenting can be lonely. Check in, invite the whole family to things, and treat the children in their care like any other kids. Being welcomed matters.
If you can give things
8. Donate a suitcase or duffel bag
Too many children move between homes carrying their belongings in trash bags. A real bag of their own is a small piece of dignity. National nonprofits such as Comfort Cases and Foster Love (formerly Together We Rise) fill backpacks and duffel bags with essentials and comfort items, and many local agencies accept new duffel bags too.
9. Stock a foster care closet
Many communities have "foster closets" where foster families can pick up clothes, diapers, car seats, and school supplies for children who arrive with nothing. Search for "foster closet" plus your city, and ask what they need most. New items like pajamas, underwear, socks, and toiletries are almost always in demand.
10. Make birthdays and holidays special
Many agencies run holiday gift drives and birthday programs so every child gets something chosen just for them. Contact your local agency to sponsor a child's wish list.
11. Pay for an activity
Sports, music lessons, dance, and summer camp help kids in care feel normal, build confidence, and make friends. Offer to cover a season's fees, or donate to a program's scholarship fund. See how to pay for kids' activities when money is tight for programs that help.
If you want to help teens aging out
Each year, thousands of young people "age out" of foster care, often at 18 or 21, usually without the family safety net most young adults rely on. A little help at this stage can change everything.
12. Help with the first apartment
Pots and pans, sheets, towels, a shower curtain, cleaning supplies: the things most of us got from family. Some programs collect "starter kits" for young adults moving into their first home.
13. Share life skills and job connections
Teach budgeting, cooking, or how to open a bank account. Do a practice interview, review a resume, or open a door at your workplace. Our Mentor Moment card has ideas.
14. Point them to help that's meant for them
Young people who were in foster care may qualify for special support, including help paying for college or job training through federal Education and Training Vouchers, extended foster care in many states, and health coverage. FosterClub, a national network for young people in foster care, is a good place to start.
If you have room in your home and heart
15. Consider fostering, respite, or adoption
There is a constant need for foster homes, especially for teens, sibling groups, and children with disabilities. You don't have to be married, own a home, or be wealthy to foster in most places. If you're curious, attend an information session with your local child welfare agency. You can also start smaller with respite care, caring for children for a weekend so their foster family can rest.
A few things to keep in mind
- Respect privacy. Don't post photos or details of children in foster care online, and don't ask kids about their past. Let them share when and if they want to.
- Ask what's actually needed. Agencies and foster closets know their needs best. A quick call keeps your gift from going to waste.
- Consistency beats grand gestures. Showing up regularly, even in small ways, means more than one big gift.
- Check before you give money. Give to established organizations, and check any charity or fundraiser before donating.
Are you a foster care agency or program?
Chances.org shares the public wish lists of organizations that help children and families, free of charge. If you'd like kind people to see what your kids need, partner with us.
Every child deserves a chance. Sometimes that chance is a duffel bag, a ride to soccer practice, or one adult who keeps showing up. Pick one idea from this list and start there.
More ways to give: A Chance for a Child, the Give a Chance card deck, and the Give a Chance Fund, which supports people and causes from our directory.