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Foster parents Matt & Denise have a gift for supporting their fellow foster families. They began a foster family closet in Marathon County after they became licensed foster parents five years ago. Foster families can visit the closet and obtain supplies, toys, clothing, high chairs, and many other items.
Matt and Denise reached out to the community for donations and support for the closet. Over time the closet outgrew its original location and was moved to a large pole building on Matt and Denise’s property. The shelves are well organized, and the couple can easily find whatever families need when they visit.
As if this wasn’t enough, Matt and Denise decided to do something even bigger. They know that kids in care can sometimes miss out on activities most children take for granted, like riding their own bicycle. Matt and Denise felt every child in care in Marathon County should have access to this childhood rite of passage. So, they planned a fundraising drive to raise enough money to ensure every child in care would receive a brand-new bicycle. This would be no small feat given Marathon County’s sizable population and dozens of foster homes.
The Foster Care Coordinator for Marathon County, Sara Klebenow, provided the data to the couple on exactly how many children were currently in care in their county. Matt and Denise contacted donors for the foster closet and reached out to others in the community for support.
At one point, the couple attended a community outreach event where they sat at a table with several organizations, including the police and fire departments. The police and fire departments quickly got on board with the drive and began buying bicycles. As word spread, local business connections emerged, and monetary donations started to roll in.
The big reveal came at the county’s annual foster family appreciation picnic. Sara coordinates this event, held in June. Matt and Denise rolled in with a huge trailer filled with brand-new bicycles. As children arrived at the picnic, they got a name tag to attach to the bike they wanted. At the end of the evening, each child took their new bicycle home with them. But foster families were not the only ones who benefited; kinship homes in the county were also included in the event. In fact, Matt and Denise were so successful in their efforts that there were enough bikes left over to gift to kids who were adopted out of foster care. Families unable to attend the picnic were able to pick up bicycles at the foster family closet after the event. All told, the couple and the community obtained 180 bikes!
Their local TV station interviewed Matt and Denise, and people are still talking about this event. The bicycle drive inspired an entire community and raised awareness around foster care throughout the county. Matt, Denise, and Sara embody that spirit of relationship-building that is critical for the recruitment and retention of foster families. Children in care, their families, and the community all benefited from their efforts. We salute them!
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