Comfort Cases on Righteous Crowd this Week!
100,000 cases distributed to foster children is made possible only through the kindness and generosity of thousands of volunteers and supporters.
Comfort Cases
No More Trash Bags!
In this week’s Torah Portion, Ki Tavo, God commands the Israelites to “set aside in full the tenth part of your yield... and [give] it to the Levi, the stranger, the orphan and the widow, that they may eat in your cities and be satisfied…” Inspired by this commandment, we are excited to feature Comfort Cases. Comfort Cases believes that we can all do something to bring comfort to children entering foster care. Since 2013, Comfort Cases has distributed more than 100,000 cases to children in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Read our interview below with Righteous Crowd member and Comfort Cases Board of Directors Treasurer Adam Weisbarth.
What is the mission of Comfort Cases?
Inspiring communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in foster care. On any given day, there are approximately 437,500 children in foster care in the United States. Most of them are removed from their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. If they do have any personal belongings, they are given a trash bag in which to carry them. We are working to end this practice while providing the essentials for a child’s first few days in foster care. Comfort Cases are backpacks filled with comfort and personal care items for youth entering the foster care system. At Comfort Cases, we believe that every child deserves to feel a sense of dignity. Every child deserves to pack their belongings in a special bag that they can call their very own. Every child deserves to have a cozy new pair of pajamas, a brand-new warm blanket, and a new stuffed animal to hug during the traumatic transition into foster care.
How has COVID-19 impacted Comfort Cases?
The tireless efforts of our staff and volunteers during the Covid-19 crisis have been beyond inspirational. Our staff have worked so hard to keep the Maryland-based National Center open and running safely throughout the pandemic. We have implemented the proper protocols to ensure that we can continue distributing cases into the foster care system. COVID-19 is hitting vulnerable people—including children in foster care—the worst. And it’s possible that more children will need safe, loving homes as we move toward a “new normal.” Children are losing their support system at school, visits with birth families and court dates are being disrupted, children are losing the reassurance of routines and access to in-person therapeutic services, and the odds are worsening for children aging out of foster care. There is also an underlying, ugly irony: fewer reports but potentially increased abuse. Comfort Cases keeps the conversation going around foster care through their podcast Fostering Change.
Why did you decide to get involved with Comfort Cases?
A few years ago, my wife (a video producer at HuffPost) returned from Maryland where she had just interviewed Rob Scheer about Comfort Cases. Neither of us had heard of Rob or Comfort Cases, but we were inspired by Rob’s story and the focused yet impactful mission of the organization. We became close friends with the Scheer family and I eventually felt compelled to contribute to such an important cause. See the original video on Facebook.
How would you connect Comfort Cases to a Jewish value?
Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, is a foundation of Jewish teachings. Comfort Cases provides compassion and dignity to some of the most vulnerable and worthy people on the planet: children entering the foster care system. It is a wonderful example of Tikkun Olam. Here’s a Facebook 2 minute video about mitzvah projects.
What are some non-monetary ways for others to get involved with Comfort Cases?
1. Volunteer at the Center in Rockville, Maryland: We host open volunteer hours each week at our Comfort Cases Center in Rockville, MD. Volunteers help with processing donations, counting inventory, assembling Comfort Cases, and other miscellaneous tasks.
2. Volunteer Remotely: We utilize volunteers for research, grant writing, marketing and other remote assignments.
3. Volunteer as a group with your company or organization: Due to concerns about COVID-19 and current county health restrictions, our availability for group volunteer sessions is limited. Sorting, stuffing and checking Comfort Cases and general donations processing is always a need.
4. Host a Donation Drive: We are always in need of items to put in Comfort Cases for children in foster care. You can host a Donation Drive no matter where you live. Drop the items off at our center, ask your donors to shop our Wish List, or ship the collected items to us using Give Back Box.
5. Kids Helping Kids at Home: Can’t come to our center? Create some bookmarks at home! These handmade bookmarks add a special touch to each Comfort Case, letting children who often feel alone know that other kids care about what they are going through. Bookmarks can be purchased online for $25 or by contacting Dana at dmckay@comfortcases.org
To volunteer in any capacity, please reach out to Barrie Carr - bcarr@comfortcases.org or (301) 641-8698
To read more about Comfort Cases, click here.