We Provide Supplies for Children Impacted by Foster Care and Adoption in the Franklin County, MO Area.
Our clothing boutique is located in the old cafeteria of The Family Resource Center and is available to:
- Missouri Licensed Foster Parents
- Relative Placement Providers (working with a caseworker)
- Missouri DSS Caseworkers
- CASA Volunteers
- School Resource Officers
- Biological Parents (working with a caseworker to prevent entry to foster care or nearing reunification.)
- Teens who qualify for other services at the Family Resource Center who have been identified by their team as homeless, at risk of being homelessness, or in need of additional support.
Everything we have is donated by our community and given to families supporting children impacted by foster care and adoption for free! Our prayer is that our shoppers and their kiddos will feel seen and valued by our community. We want to be your village!
How to Access the Foster Closet
Franklin County Foster Closet is located inside the Franklin County Community Resource Center (in the old cafeteria.)
We are open Tuesday and Thursday 10-2 and the 2nd Saturday of each month from 10-Noon.
Please view our Shopper Policies below prior to coming in. We will have a User Registration form to fill out on your first visit and a Transaction Log to fill out each time you shop.
Caseworkers have 24/7 access to the closet by using the shared scan card at Children’s Division.
Foster Parents with NEW placements can access the closet in an EMERGENCY by bringing in their placement letter dated in the past week during building hours (M-F 9-4).
DIRECTIONS – Once at the Family Resource Center (formerly Clark Vitt Elementary School), you can access the closet from the front door by turning right when the hallway comes to a T. The closet will then be on the left just past the table with red tablecloth. OR, drive around back and come to door C12. (This is easiest if you need clothing for multiple kids or large items like a bed or car seat.)
*On Saturday mornings, Door C12 is the only way to access the Foster Closet, the front door to the Family Resource Center will be locked.
What Items Does the Closet Provide?
We have a wide selection of clothing, hygiene and essential items kids need.
Clothing: Preemie— Adult 3XL
Clothing is arranged in aisles, separated by size – each size has 5ft of hanging space for shirts and 3 bins (Summer bottoms, PJs and Winter Bottoms.) Above the baby clothing are bouncy seats, playmats, baby bathtubs, booster seats, other baby essentials. Other sizes of clothing have backpacks and suitcases on their top racks.
Coats and Shoes are located along the back wall (without windows) on custom made displays (from the old library shelves!) Coats and shoes increase in size from right to left so that they line up with the clothing aisles.
Bras, Underwear and Socks can be found on the endcap displays in the center of the room. We are proud to be a BOMBAS Giving Partner so we have high quality socks available for our kiddos!
Swimsuits are available year-round on the endcaps at the end of the room by the coats and shoes. We keep swimsuits out year-round for families with new placements who may need to stay in a hotel with a pool (good luck finding a swimsuit in December anywhere else!)
Hygiene Items
Diapers are essential for families with young children. The goal of our diaper program is to support families with new placements, families at risk of having their kids enter foster care, and those struggling financially due to taking in more children.
Deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, a variety of soaps, lice kits and hairbrushes are located in the center of the room. Most of these items are supplied by local churches and drives!
Equipment
“Small” Baby Essentials: Formula, crib sheets, sleep sacks, blankets, bibs and more are located on the left hand side of the 0-12 month aisle.
“Large” Baby Essentials – Car seats, strollers, mini cribs, cribs, toddler beds, crib size mattresses and highchairs are located in the front of the room (between the kitchen doors).
Twin Beds and Bedding: can be found along the back wall by the windows. There are more mattresses available, so please ask if you don’t see what you are looking for!
Toys can be found on shelves between the coats and shoes (and at the front of the room in a small chest where kids can play while their caregiver’s shop for their needs.) Please allow your child to take a toy home if it will make them feel loved.
**Official Notice and Disclosure***
Franklin County Foster Closet is monitored by security cameras. Please be sure to follow all posted rules or your access to the Foster Closet may be revoked.
Children’s Division Support
Immediate Needs Lockers – We found lockers to be such a great way to organize clothing that we provided lockers to Children’s Division in Union. We stock these lockers with 400 bags that include ONE full day of clothing for a child coming into foster care.
Supply Bins – Hygiene Items to meet the immediate needs of our kiddos.
Hanging Organizers – Socks, Underwear and Bras are organized in these Hanging Organizers so its easy for caseworkers to grab what they need and communicate what sizes they need.