This Season, Give What Makes the Biggest Difference

by Kate Danielson
November 10, 2025

It’s November, the start of a season when many of us feel called to do more. We love to gather hats, coats, toys, and school supplies because we want young people to feel supported and cared for. At Foster Progress, we have been on the receiving end of that generosity, and we are deeply grateful for every act of kindness that has brought warmth, joy, and dignity to our students.

But this year, we want to pull back the curtain and share something that most nonprofits wish everyone knew:

What we need most isn’t another school supplies drive.

What our students need most is funding.

We know; that’s less tangible, less interactive. But financial gifts do the most good, because they allow us to respond directly to what students tell us they need.

And more often than not, what they need is not a backpack, teddy bear, or even Christmas present.

Where your dollars actually go

When you give to Foster Progress, you can trust your money will make a difference to the youth in our programs. We take stewardship seriously.

Foster Progress directs approximately 75% of our budget toward direct program costs: supporting students through scholarships, mentoring, college visits, emergency funds, and more. 

Your donation is not disappearing into overhead — it’s fueling opportunities and relationships that open doors for youth in care. 

At Foster Progress, money translates into things that don’t always fit in a gift bag, but change lives:

  • Scholarships that keep students enrolled during financial emergencies

  • Holiday gatherings that remind young people they have a community amongst each other

  • College visits that help students imagine their future

  • Recruiting, vetting, and training mentors who walk alongside youth for years

  • Transportation stipends to get them to work, school, or to our events

  • Emergency support when something threatens a student’s housing or education

Sometimes, yes, we do buy coats. But we only buy them when a specific student needs one, and we can send exactly what fits, in the size, style, and color they choose. That honors dignity, and it honors the giver’s intention.

Why item donations aren’t always helpful

It surprises many people to learn that physical donations like backpacks, suitcases, and school supplies often cost more than they save. Most of our students live all over the state, not in one central location. To distribute physical goods, it often requires:

  • Staff time to sort, inventory, and store items

  • Shipping expenses to get items to students’ hands

  • Additional labor to coordinate deliveries

    It can take significantly more money and staff hours than simply buying each student what they need when they need it.

We are grateful for every person who has thought of our students and acted. The intention behind every donated coat matters. We simply want to help your generosity have the greatest impact.

If you love the “hands-on” feeling of giving… you still can!

Some families and groups love the experience of doing something together. We love that.
Here are meaningful ways to give financially while still making it tangible:

  • Host a family bake sale, lemonade stand, or yard sale and donate proceeds

  • Organize a holiday gathering to write encouraging cards to students, then take up a collection

  • Create a giving jar at home. Kids can add spare change and learn about philanthropy

  • Match your teen’s first paycheck, a lesson in generosity and agency

  • Host a small fundraising dinner, book club, or wine and cheese night

  • Ask for donations in lieu of gifts at a birthday or holiday celebration

    These activities still create the experience of giving while directing resources to where they’re needed most.

Giving money honors students’ voices

The heart of our work is listening to young people.
Their needs are specific.
Their lives are complex.
Your financial support allows us to honor their priorities—not ours.

A donation helps us say:

“We believe you know what you need. We’re here to help you get it.”

That’s dignity.
That is empowerment.
That is progress.

Thank you

We are so grateful to every donor who has thought of our students, whether you’ve given coats, gift cards, encouragement, or dollars. Every gift comes from a place of care, and that care keeps our students going.

This season, we invite you to consider giving in the way that does the most good:
a financial gift that supports the full, remarkable journey of a young person in foster care.

Because when we give students what they truly need: support, connection, opportunity, they don’t just beat the odds. They change them.