Helping children have a little dignity
Imagine growing up without the love and support of family to guide you through life. That’s the reality for over 442,000 children in foster care in the US and over 9 million kids worldwide. Kids who, through no fault of their own, have found themselves in a system that tries as it might often fall short.
Kids who have had opportunities and a shot at a real future are taken away from them by the actions of others.
Kids need a chance at finding happiness and the love of family.
Suitcases for New Beginnings is a charity dedicated to giving duffle bags to every child entering the foster care system.
MOST ARE GIVEN A TRASH BAG TO CARRY THEIR BELONGINGS.
Children and teens enter foster care through no fault of their own because they have been abused, neglected, or abandoned and are unable to continue living safely with their families. Children have been neglected and often feel like they don’t matter. Some do not own a toothbrush and have never worn a new pair of pajamas.
Unfortunately, Social Services does not have the financial means to purchase suitcases to pack a child’s belongings before being brought to a foster home. Social Services must use trash bags if they do not have donated duffle bags. It is horrific enough that a child has been abused or neglected, but then to have all of their belongings placed into a trash bag, which places a feeling of worthlessness on the child. It makes them feel like garbage.
Contact
Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Address
211 Main Street
Po Box 105
Forsyth, MO 65653
cheryl@suitcasesfornewbeginnings.org
Phone
(417)297-8905
We are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit
I have dedicated myself to this project because I know firsthand what it feels like to be placed in a foster home.
Imagine being taken from everything you know—your home, your family, your belongings—and walking into a strange place with people you have never met. Then, instead of having a suitcase to carry your personal belongings, you are given a trash bag. For a child, that can be one of the most frightening and heartbreaking experiences imaginable.
Carrying your belongings in a trash bag can make a child feel unwanted, unloved, and as though they have been thrown away like garbage. No child should ever have to feel that way.
I know because I was once that foster child.
But that is not where my story ended.
I became a high school graduate, a wife, a mother, a college graduate, a school teacher, and now a businesswoman and advocate dedicated to helping children in foster care.
My life is proof that being a foster child does not determine your future.
Just because you are a foster child doesn't mean you can't succeed in life.
That is why I am committed to making sure children entering foster care know they matter, are valued, and that someone cares about them. I want to give them more than a bag of belongings. I want to give them comfort, dignity, hope, and the reminder that their circumstances do not define who they can become.
Cheryl’s Story
Suitcases for New Beginnings gives children entering foster care a sense of dignity and hope.
Providing Reliable Mentorship and Stability for Kids in Foster Care
Imagine being a child who has been separated from their parents, home, belongings, and everything familiar—then being placed in a new home with people you have never met.
For children in foster care, uncertainty can become part of everyday life. They may experience multiple placements, disrupted relationships, and constant changes in routines. When they need security most, they may have very little to count on.
That’s where a consistent mentor can make a life-changing difference.
Imagine having someone who shows up, listens, encourages you, and reminds you that you matter. Someone who provides guidance, builds trust, and remains a steady source of support through difficult transitions.
That is what it means to be a Stabilizer.
Our Stabilizer Monthly Giving Program provides reliable mentorship and stability to children in foster care. Monthly donors help us create the consistent support these children need to build confidence, develop healthy social skills, and know that someone believes in them.
Your monthly gift isn't simply a donation. It is a commitment to a child.
It helps provide a dependable presence when so much of a child's life may feel uncertain.
Will you become a Stabilizer?
With a monthly donation, you can help ensure children in foster care have someone in their corner—not just once, but consistently.
Together, we can give foster children something they desperately need: stability, encouragement, and the knowledge that they matter.
Become a Stabilizer today and help provide a steady source of hope for a child who needs it most.