Eagle Scout behind Dwell’s Welcome Bag Project.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — A backpack, blanket, and hygiene essentials are some of the items children entering foster care and their families need during the challenging transition. Shelves at Dwell Orphan Care in Williamsport hold children's blankets, stuffed animals, and toys. 17-year-old Noelle Collins is a Scout with Troop 38G out of Saint Ann's Catholic Church in Williamsport, working to earn the highest ranking in Scouting America, which is Eagle, by putting in community service hours with Dwell. 

"I chose Dwell, to help them with new shelving, they wanted some new shelving for their care package room and it was originally wooden but it was kind of falling apart so we put in all new metal shelves," said Noelle Collins, Troop 38G Saint Ann's Catholic Church Scout.

The non-profit received a $10,000 grant from the Women's Giving Circle to provide new shelving for the Hope Chest Closet and Care Package program. Collins picked Dwell to do her Eagle project with because if it wasn't for her Aunt and Uncle adopting her at 7 years old after her Mom passed away, she would've entered foster care. 

"I had a group of people come in and help me with putting them together and taking shelving apart and then put everything back on the shelves and get it all organized for them," said Collins.

Noelle is also working on another project with Dwell: Welcome Bags for Bradford County, collecting items such as pajamas, hygiene products, and clothing, since Dwell is adding Bradford County to its service area. The non-profit covers Lycoming County and surrounding areas, putting them on the Bradford County Children and Youth's radar.

"We're hoping that this small step of partnering with them and offering these bags and serving them in a unique way through our Hope Chest will prove the efficacy of this program," said Emily Shover, Dwell Orphan Care Hope Chest Coordinator, Church Engagement Specialist. 

75 bags will be given to the Bradford County Children and Youth Services for children who are entering into foster care.

"Bradford County and other affiliate agencies there had seen these trends of just kids really needing these essentials and that support being really helpful to families, and so that's why they asked us to be involved," said Shover. 

The welcome bags are for boys and girls, ranging from infants up to 18 years of age. The bags will be making their way up to Bradford County at the end of September.