Passion Statement
We are passionate about restoring dignity to youth in crisis.
Mobile Closet
At Foster Care Closet, we believe every young person deserves dignity, confidence, and the chance to feel like themselves.
Through our Mobile Closet, youth in foster care shop for brand-new clothing and essentials in a setting designed to be respectful and empowering. Each child chooses what fits their style and needs, creating a sense of control and normalcy during a difficult time.
We partner with community organizations across Nebraska to host these pop-up shops, expanding access and meeting youth where they are. Events are held seasonally, twice each year, providing a complete wardrobe for spring and summer and again for fall and winter. In addition to clothing, youth can select shoes, hygiene items, a comfort item (blanket, stuffed animals, toys, books, water bottles) and a backpack.
Every item is new. Every experience is intentional. Every visit reinforces that each child is seen and valued.
Clothing
Foster Care Closet is a donation-driven, nonprofit. We are proud to be recognized as a Better Business Bureau Integrity winner for the way we serve our most vulnerable youth. In July of 2015, there were over 600 abused and neglected children in the Lincoln area. That’s as large as a senior class graduation! Foster Care Closet is here to restore dignity to youth in crisis in the foster care system by providing new clothing and other needed items. We do so in a respectful and dignified manner allowing insecure and scared youth to build confidence and self-esteem.
Additional Support
Foster Care Closet is proud to support Nebraska’s foster families beyond the new clothing we provide. By leveraging our extensive network of supporters, we work to connect families with a variety of other resources to handle their specific needs. Because our warehouse space is limited, we do not accept or store donations of used gear such as car seats, pack-n-plays, or cribs. Instead, we operate a "Need-Based" network. If a foster family has a specific, immediate need for an essential item we don't stock, we are able to reach out to our community to find a possible donor.
History
Foster Care Closet was founded in March of 2006 after founders Patrick and Leigh Esau recognized the need for quality clothing in the foster care system. Through more than a dozen placements of youth in foster care at their home, they came to the realization almost all of the children came to their doorstep with only the clothes they were wearing - and nothing else.
These experiences and conversations with other foster parents helped them conceptualize Foster Care Closet and lead them to start the organization out of their own basement. Beginning with simple used clothing donations from neighbors, churches, and community members, Foster Care Closet began offering quality clothing to youth entering the foster care system at no cost to them or their foster parents.
Now in addition to giving out NEW clothes, personal hygiene products and comfort items, Foster Care Closet has two services: Foster Care Closet's Haven and our Mobile Closet. We welcome youth to our Haven on the day they are moved into foster care and create pop up shops in places where people struggle to reach our stores. This growth has helped youth in foster care all across the state receive the opportunity to have their voice heard about the clothes they get to wear.
Additionally, we have a team of paid staff members, a warehouse onsite and offsite to store our clothing, two stores, Lincoln and Beatrice, for youth in foster care to shop in and a team of dedicated volunteers.
As we look to the future, we hope to share our business practices with other states and help redefine the process of moving youth into foster care. Reducing the trauma youth receive as they are placed into foster care and restoring their dignity as they live through the experience is our primary focus.
Leadership
| Leigh Esau Founding Director |
Tim Balzer Executive Director |
| Jennifer Olson Director of Operations |
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