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Local youth starts non-profit to help foster children
More than 7,500 children entered the custody of Missouri’s Children’s Division in 2016. — their own home’s unsafe. They joined approximately 13,000 other children in Missouri in out-of-home placements — with a relative, a foster family, or a residential facility. Now, a very determined young lady has set about making the first days and weeks a child spends in foster care a little easier.
“I started this because I heard kids often go to foster homes with just the clothes on their backs and maybe a few personal items,” LeAndra Shotts said.
“We had it planned out a few months ago but it took us a while to get the corporation started,” LeAndra said. Her organization, LeA’s Kids, is a non-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization.
Several months ago, while talking about foster homes with her mother, Carol Shotts, LeAndra decided she wanted to try to make the transition into foster care easier for both the children and the homes they are going into. She decided to raise money to help foster families with new children in their home purchase essentials such as clothing and personal hygiene items children need.
Children’s division provides the same assistance to foster families, but in limited amounts. Each child coming into the care of Children’s Division is allotted an annual clothing allowance, and the foster family receives a monthly check to help pay for the child’s expenses — food, increased utility rates, etc.
However, there exists a gap between when a child enters a foster home and when the family receives the first maintenance check from the state of Missouri. Case workers can often offer gift cards to help with immediate essentials, but the amount is usually limited.
Foster families with emergency placements in need of a little extra help will be able to contact LeA’s Kids through their caseworker.
LeAndra said they are holding a series of fundraisers, the first being a drawing for half a steer or half of a hog. Ticket sales started on Valentine’s Day and will end on Mother’s Day.
LeAndra said she chose those dates because they represent love and family.
For tickets, to donate, or for more information, call Carol Shotts at 417-549-0594.