UP Foster Closet - UP Foster Closest is volunteer-run, donation-supported non-profit working to help foster children and their families. Here, Jenny Tourangeau receives a donation check from Delta County 100+ Women Who Care at the UP Foster Closet location in Delta County. (Courtesy photo via Escanaba Daily Press)

ESCANABA — A local organization is working to provide necessary items free of charge to foster children.

President of UP Foster Closet of Delta County, Jenny Tourangeau says they work to not only help the children, but help the families.

Officially started in 2018, UP Foster Closet of Delta County is all volunteer, all donation run 501 (c)3 non-profit. It was originally a part of the Foster Closet of Michigan, but became independent in 2018.

“The UP Foster Closet of Delta County is here to provide necessary items free of charge to children in (mainly) Delta County who find themselves in foster care or in the care or placement of someone other than their biological/custodial parents as many times as they need help,” she said.

Placements include grandparents, guardianships, group homes, power of attorney, pre-adoptive homes and more.

“A majority of the time, children are removed from their homes with just clothing they have on at the time of removal,” Tourangeau said.

UP Foster Closet provides foster children with a combination of new and high quality/like new condition clothing.

“We also provide them with everything from diapers, wipes, toothbrushes and other hygiene products all the way to new car seats, a crib or bed, and mattresses if needed,” Tourangeau said.

She added that the organization wants to help the families so they can focus on the child or children, rather than stress about what items they need and whether or not they can afford the additional expenses.

“If they need it, we will find a way to get it,” she said.

Impressively, only three volunteers interact with the families and children.

“There are three of us: Myself (Tourangeau), Heather Jensen, and Jill Young,” she said.

They do request the services of other volunteers for sorting and organization, but it is just the three of them in contact with the children and families.

“Confidentiality and privacy is of the utmost importance and is something we take very seriously,” Tourangeau said.

Tourangeau, Jensen and Young all work full-time jobs in addition to being in charge of UP Foster Closet.

Even with other obligations, the three of them still manage to service 20 to 25 foster kids each month. Tourangeau said the amount of children helped varies by the month.

“August, November, and May are our busiest months. This month we are closing in on helping close to 50 kids with messages for help coming in almost daily,” she said.

Like any volunteer-ran organization, UP Foster Closet faces challenges.

“We are an all donation ran organization, so sometimes that can be a challenge because we never know what a child is going to need and we can only keep so much,” she said.

The community is a big part of the success of UP Foster Closet, coming to its aid when a child is in need.

“Our community is amazing and has really embraced us and the support is wonderful,” she said.

When a foster child needs something that the organization does not have, Tourangeau looks to the community for support.

“When we have a need for something we don’t have on hand, a shout out on our Facebook page for help gets us what we need, or the money we need to purchase it, often time within hours of it being posted,” she said.

UP Foster Closet welcomes and appreciate any monetary donations it can get.

Tourangeau said she pays the rent for the facility and then every other penny goes to supporting kids in foster care.

Tourangeau wanted to make the community aware of just how many foster kids are in need in the state and across the country.

“There are currently over 10,000 kids in foster care in Michigan alone. Nationwide, the number is closer to 400,000 with 100,000 kids waiting to be adopted,” she said.

These staggering numbers are likely higher, according to Tourangeau, as there are many instances where grandparents are raising their grandchildren and not receiving any assistance through local agencies.

A sad reality of foster care is siblings are likely to be split up from one another. Tourangeau said this is because of the lack of foster homes with enough room, or because the foster home does not have the ability, room or resources to accommodate siblings.

“Being separated from their siblings is more traumatic than being separated from their parents,” she said.

In addition to all the work that UP Foster Closet of Delta County does, it also aims to educate the community about the ins and outs of the foster care system.

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” she said.

She added that there are numerous misconceptions about foster children, their biological parents and the foster care system in general.

“We want to clear the air, debunk those myths, educate the community, inspire more people to open their hearts and homes and become foster parents,” she said.

In addition to the Up Foster Closet in Delta County, there are locations in Dickinson, Marquette, Menominee and Iron counties.

For more information on each location, what donations are needed, and other ways you can help, visit www.upfostercloset.org.

There is a huge need foster homes not only in Delta County but across the United States. We strongly believe that all children are our children,” Tourangeau said.