CINCINNATI — In Hamilton County alone, there are over 2,100 kids in the foster care system, according to Hamilton County Job and Family Services (JFS).
JFS is holding its annual Kindness for Kids gift drive in an effort to make sure each of them has the best Christmas possible.
“It gives a child a sense of hope, and an opportunity to feel like everybody else,” said Stacey Tilley, a former foster parent who has since adopted her foster kids.
Tilley became a foster parent in August of 2019 to a pair of siblings, a boy and a girl.
She said the pressure was high to make that first Christmas special for them, and the way to do that was through gifts.
Watch: How the community is working to make sure foster kids have a special Christmas
“I wanted my foster children at the time to feel like they were important. And toys aren’t just toys, toys are a symbol of belonging and being a part of a family,” said Tilley.
For many, gifts on Christmas are expected, but Tilley said for those in foster care, it’s often a different story. And having a traditional Christmas, with gifts under the tree, can mean the world.
“That’s part of normal childhood,” Tilley said. “Even though at the moment, their childhood wasn’t the norm, because they were in foster care, they didn’t feel that. I know they didn’t.”
Although Tilley’s kids are now adopted, she still sees the impact gifts have on foster kids every year, through her job at JFS.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a lot of community donations this year, and different partners and stuff. We’re setting all the toys up because we’re gonna have some of our caregivers come and shop,” said Jane Pendergast, who does communications for Hamilton County JFS.
Foster parents will start “shopping” for their kids starting on Wednesday.
They’re also partnering with local organizations to collect more donations.
“Unfortunately, because they are in foster care, they are a little different. But they shouldn’t have to feel like that on Christmas; they shouldn’t feel like, ‘Oh well, I’ll just take whatever.’ They have a right, every child has a right to have a special Christmas,” Tilley said.
If you wish to donate gifts for kids in foster care, you can visit the Kindness for Kids website or drop off toys at one of these locations:
- The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, which is encouraging patrons of their Elf Jr. holiday show to bring a gift for a child
- Jeff Ruby’s three restaurants
- Hoxworth Blood Center, for the third year, is encouraging donors at all centers to bring a toy when they come to donate blood Dec. 7-13.
- The Bengals and Bengal Jim are welcoming JFS staff to collect toys outside the stadium before the Dec. 14 game
