How the community can help Dwell fill its Hope Chest Foster Closet.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Bins of children's clothing can be found inside of Dwell Orphan Care's Hope Chest Foster Closet in Williamsport. 

The non-profit helps foster and adoptive families, and the closet provides a bit of relief to those navigating the challenging transition.

"We will fill a duffel bag with about two weeks of clothing, shoes, socks, underwear, hygiene items, and we also put together a basket with toys, and books, and games and Lego's, and all of those sorts of things to help build healthy attachments," said Emily Shover, Dwell Orphan Care Hope Chest coordinator and church engagement specialist. 

The organization works with child placement agencies and helps surround families with support as they're fostering. Along with the Hope Chest Foster Closet, the organization also provides other services. 

"And then we also offer TBRI trauma training, we have an adoption grant program, we offer support groups for our foster parents, and we just launched a new birthday program called "Made to Celebrate" it's for families starting here in lycoming and clinton counties and it's designed to celebrate kids on their birthdays," said Shover. 

From January to March of last year, the organization filled 11 care packages; this year, those numbers doubled. Because of this, the non-profit is in need of more items, especially for young boys, like new and gently used clothing items starting at size 2T.

"And then we're also looking for certain like hygiene items, baby items, toddler toys, different things like that, that we can put in our care packages," said Shover. 

Emily Shover, the organization's Hope Chest coordinator and church engagement specialist, says even though becoming a foster parent or adopting isn't for everyone there are still other ways to help.

"So we really just encourage everybody to check us out and do your something," said Shover. 

Those who'd like to donate in person can do so on scheduled donation days found on their website at https://www.dwellorphancare.org/communityevents