“They ended up in state custody. Now they’re with me.”
By Brittany Wren, Stingray Writing
The living room is neat. A baby swing is on one side, a couch on the other. Shelves above the TV are lined with animal-themed knick-knacks, and a brightly-colored blanket is folded and draped over the back of the couch. A cat peers around the baby swing, then darts back to its hiding place.
It looks like any other family living room in Nebraska, except this one is home to eight children, including five foster youth.
“I was there for the boys’ birth,” Shawna says as she lifts a pan of cinnamon rolls out of the oven. “I’ve been friends with their mom since we were 15. She came into hard times and struggles, and they ended up in state custody. Now they are with me and have been with me for almost a year.”
Shawna is a full-time home healthcare worker, a mom of two teenagers, a stepmom, and a foster mom to Cash (13), Raylan (10), and their three siblings.
“I have a very structured routine,” she said. “And I have a big support team.” Shawna’s significant other helps with the kids, and they use a trauma-informed daycare and community learning center for the older boys. As far as their adjustment to her house, it’s hit-or-miss, she said. “They’re very conflicted on emotions, like any other kid.”
The kids call her Aunt Nana, and she’s proud to be able to provide for them. Even so, every little bit helps. Foster youth often don’t have much at home, and even less they can bring to a foster home. According to Shawna, Foster Care Closet and other local nonprofits step in to fill a youth’s closet, which a foster parent might otherwise not be able to afford.
“When the kids get placed with a home, they don’t come with a lot of stuff. Foster Care Closet helps out the foster parents a lot,” she said. “They are giving them a safe place. It makes the kids feel welcomed.”
The Dignity of Choice
For kids like Cash and Raylan, that “welcome” is often found in the simple joy of having something brand new that belongs only to them. In the foster care system, children rarely get to choose their school or their daily schedule. But at a Foster Care Closet mobile drive, they get the joy of choice.
For 13-year-old Cash, dignity is found in the shoes. He knows that in school hallways, people “pay attention to that.” When he puts on a pair of high-quality, name-brand shoes like Adidas or Ultra Lights, he isn’t walking in as “the kid in foster care.” He’s walking in with the confidence of any other teenager.
The Privilege of a Laundry Cycle
For most families, putting away clothes is a mundane chore. But for a foster youth, having enough clothes for a full laundry cycle is a profound privilege. It’s the physical manifestation of “I am safe. I belong here.” Seeing their own seasonal clothes in their closet or dresser — rather than a trash bag — is what we call the “Quiet Joy.” It means they aren’t just dressed; they are settled.
Our Vision: A Full Closet for Every Child
At Foster Care Closet, our mission is to restore dignity to youth in crisis. We believe that no child should have to start their foster journey in a new home with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Our niche is providing the joy of choice. Through our mobile closet, we travel across Nebraska — from Lincoln to Scottsbluff and Winnebago — to ensure every youth has a shopping experience that makes them feel seen and valued. Each child receives:
- 5 NEW outfits (tops and bottoms)
- 7 pairs of new socks and underwear
- A seasonal coat and pajamas
- A new pair of shoes
Join the Support Team
Shawna is doing the heavy lifting of healing hearts, but as she says, it takes a “big support team” to make it work. When you donate to Foster Care Closet, you are part of that team. You are providing the hoodie and sneakers that help a 13-year-old feel he belongs.
It costs $350 to provide a full seasonal closet for one child. Your gift today ensures that when the next child enters a home like Shawna’s, they are met with a full closet and a message of dignity.