Unitarians’ Shoebox Project Helps Children In Emergency Foster Care

Children from abusive homes in the Danbury area who suddenly find themselves in emergency foster care will receive a shoebox-full of goodies to help make the ordeal a little less frightening. Over the past month, children enrolled in the religious education program at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Northern Fairfield County in Redding have been assembling the boxes as part of a social action project to help instill the UU values of service to others and respect and dignity for all people.

Two parishioners, Pat Winn of Newtown and Suzanne Perry of Brewster, N.Y., both volunteer teachers, created and organized the project. Mary Collins of Danbury, religious education director, gave assistance as needed.

They spent several weeks brainstorming but kept coming back to the idea of helping children who are placed in emergency foster homes by the Department of Children and Families. Through her husband’s work with the Department of Child Welfare in New York, Ms Winn, a nurse, was aware of the trauma faced by children who are whisked away, often in the dark of night, from dangerous and abusive situations.

“He always mentioned how the kids don’t have enough necessities, like socks, underwear, and toothbrushes when they arrive,” Winn said. “Foster mothers try to have extras, but when kids get removed from a dangerous situation and arrive in the middle of the night, they may run short.” The children may be victims of sexual or physical abuse by a family member, their parents may be using drugs, or engaged in other risky behavior, she said.

Collins made an urgent appeal to the UU congregation and was overwhelmed by contributions. One member, Nancy London of Redding, donated a large amount of children’s books and books on tape. Another member of the congregation, Marcia Brooker of Southbury, was at her dentist’s office for an appointment and asked how committed to dental health he was. He asked her what she needed and as a result, Dental Associates of Danbury donated 50 sets of toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss. Kohl’s of Brookfield also gave a discount on socks and underwear. All the items were targeted for children ages 4 to 10, which also is the age of the children who attend the religious education program Ms Winn and Ms Perry teach.

They collected 60 shoeboxes and 60 stuffed animals, books, socks, underwear, toothbrushes, and an assortment of craft items. The children decorated and filled the shoeboxes with age- and gender-appropriate items they selected and marked on the box. They each drew pictures and cards for the recipients and placed them in the boxes. The UU children also assembled and added a craft-in-a-bag to each shoebox to give the foster children something fun and creative to do to occupy their time.

“Before assembling the care packages we asked the children to close their eyes for a moment and imagine what a child in a strange place, feeling scared, might like to see upon opening their box,” said Ms Collins. “They took such care in their words and pictures and picking out just the right stuffed friend and book.”

“My son, Aleksi, 8, saw a homeless man when he went to New York City and cried all the way back home,” Ms Perry said. “Doing a project like this shows the children they can do something about the sad things they see. It gives them a sense of hope.”

The UUSNFC will be moving to Clapboard Ridge Road in Danbury next year. The congregation has members in Newtown, Redding, Danbury, Ridgefield, Bethel, New Milford, Wilton, and other Danbury-area and western New York State communities. It welcomes new members throughout the region.

For information about the UUSNFC or religious education program, call 203-438-4281 or 438-7190. Or visit the website at uudanbury.org.