Fostering Hope Delco

Fostering Hope Delco is a 100% volunteer-run nonprofit serving foster, adoptive, kinship, and biological families throughout Delaware County. Most of our leadership team are foster and adoptive parents who work full time but came together after seeing a clear gap in support for families caring for children impacted by trauma. In 2024, we served 1,037 children, and in 2025, that number grew to 1,094 children.

We believe families should be met with compassion, dignity, and practical support. Research shows that nearly 50% of foster parents stop fostering within their first year, often because they feel overwhelmed and unsupported. Our goal is simple and urgent: change that reality by making sure families have what they need when they need it.

We do this through four core initiatives designed to meet real, everyday needs:

• The Foster-Share Closet is one of our largest efforts. Families can visit several times each month to receive essential items at no cost. We provide diapers, wipes, cribs, toys, clothing in all sizes, personal care items, and more. When a family gets a call asking if they can welcome a child into their home, we want that “yes” to come a little easier because they know they are not doing it alone.
• Bags of Hope are personal care items meant to get families through the first few days of new placements. Each bag includes items like shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, a hairbrush, and other essentials that help a child feel cared for and respected from the very beginning.
• Dignity Duffles replace trash bags. These small duffle bags fold up to fit under the front seat of a caseworker’s car so that during emergency removals, a child’s belongings are never placed in a trash bag. Each duffle costs between $15 and $25, and we have provided hundreds to Children & Youth Services for their cars and vans.
• Fostering Phone Phones provides teens and young adults with a refurbished iPhone, an OtterBox case, and one year of service. For many youth. A phone is not a luxury, but a lifeline—connecting them to school, caseworkers, family, and emergency support. Each system costs between $600 and $800. Between Janury 1st, 2024, and January 18th 2026 we have provided 33 phone systems to youth who need them.

While we gladly accept donations of new and gently used clothing and baby items, many of the essentials we provide must be purchased new. Ongoing fundraising allows us to meet consistent needs such as socks, bras, underwear, pajamas, hygiene products, diapers and wipes, car seats, beds and mattresses, dignity duffles, cell phone systems, and our monthly operating expenses.

Families and agencies rely on us because we respond quickly. Many requests are time-sensitive, and having funds readily available allows us to act immediately when a child’s stability depends on it. Recently, we were contacted about twin girls who could only be placed together if bunk beds and mattresses were secured right away. Because resources were available, we were able to step in immediately so the sisters could remain together. These are the moments when preparation and community support make all the difference.

Every contribution helps us say “yes” when it matters most. We hope you will say "yes" to Fostering Hope Delco on Delco Gives Day!

To learn more about Fostering Hope Delco, please visit our Linktree or follow us on Facebook.