Here are a few facts from My Stuff Bags Foundation ’s website:

• Children who enter the foster care system or shelters often have nothing. They are separated from all that is familiar – parents, belongings, favorite stuffed animals or toys, and their homes. My Stuff Bags provides new belongings to children who are rescued from situations involving abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
• Children receive bags filled with new stuffed animals, coloring books and crayons, small toys, school supplies, toiletries, games, books, clothing, blankets and more. Bags for babies include diapers, clothes, bibs, and pacifiers. Children also love to receive handcrafted items.
• The foundation was started in 1998 when caregivers expressed concern over  children who arrived with no belongings of their own and wearing dirty or inadequate clothing. Agencies often don’t have funding to provide more than food and safe shelter.
• My Stuff Bags has provided more than 450,000 free duffel bags to children in more than 1,400 agencies in 49 states. The foundation works with child and family social services agencies, drug and law enforcement agencies, crisis shelters, shelters for battered women, homeless shelters, foster care agencies, residential care facilities, and CASA organizations (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
• You can help My Stuff Bags Foundation by donating funds, volunteering at their southern California volunteer center, or mailing donations of new “stuff” to their center. Visit their website for information on how to help. You may also download instructions to make a no-sew fleece blanket to donate.