Foley resident seeks volunteers to help transition children into foster care

Foley resident seeks volunteers to help transition children into foster care

By Fran Thompson
Even as a teen in her native Iowa, Amy Schulz knew she would eventually foster children.
She worked in the childcare business before eventually moving to South Baldwin County five years ago, and she has since fostered more than 25 children. Unfortunately, more than 80 percent of those children were presented to her with nothing more than the clothes on their back.
“That is not acceptable,’’ she said.
So, a little more than a year ago, Amy founded the Gift of God Ministry, a non-profit that provides a week’s worth of clothing, blankets, toiletry, some goodies and other comfort items to children before those most vulnerable of humans sleep for the first time in their new homes.
Along with the other items folded into duffle bags and backpacks, Amy and her team include a stuffed animal.
During that first year, with the help of other volunteers, Amy provided Hope Bags to 223 children throughout Baldwin County. Her non-profit has provided another 15 bags in just the first two weeks of the new year.
“The need is significant and it is constant,’’ Amy said. “We’ve served newborns coming from the hospital all the way up to 18 years old.’’
Gift of God has a small warehouse in Foley, and Amy has around 10 volunteers that help with packing and delivering bags, shopping for needed items and soliciting funds from partners. But she could use way more help. Info: giftofgodministry.com.
“We try to deliver the bags as soon as we get the request,’’ she said. “We go shop for what we don’t have. We try to deliver the bags within a few hours and definitely before the children go to bed.
“It keeps us busy,’’ she added. “The most we’ve had in one day is seven and we’ve delivered 10 bags in one 24-hour period. We always need more volunteers to help pack and deliver and spread awareness to the community, like if people are out shopping and see baby bottles on sale, we need them.’’
There is always a need for toddler underwear, diapers and wipes.
“When you see the things these children have endured, it can be heartbreaking,’’ Amy said. “Most adults couldn’t handle being pulled out of a situation without packing bags – with only the clothes on their back. It’s hard. We can’t do that to our kids. Children are our future. They have to feel safe and secure, and clothing is a part of that.’’
Amy said seeing how the children react, especially their hugs, when they receive their bags is the only proof she needs that she is living her best life.
“These kids get so excited about getting new shoes or a new outfit. They say, ‘you mean this is mine? I get to keep it even if I go somewhere else.’ These children are worth helping. It doesn’t matter what their background is. They are our future and we have to do something to try to fix it.’’
Although she was obviously aware that children
being placed in an unfamiliar home, with unfamiliar people, and with no belongings to call their own makes these already vulnerable children feel even more forgotten, insecure, and unsafe, Amy doesn’t think she chose to do something about it.
“This had nothing to do with my plans,’’ she said. “I say all the time that this is God’s plan for me. I am in his boat. I’m just doing what he wants me to do. God has always provided us what we need. I am 100 percent living my life doing what he wants me to do.’’

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Going into foster care already traumatic

Going into foster care is already traumatic, says Gift of God founder Amy Schulz. When a child’s basic physiological needs of shelter, water, food and clothing are not immediately fulfilled, it contributes to some vicious statistics when they become adults. Foster children are three times more likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs, and four times more likely to attempt suicide then combat veterans. More than 30 percent will commit violent crimes, and neglect and/or abuse their own children.
“We created Hope Bags to give hope for brighter tomorrows with love, support, security and dignity while helping the healing process and reducing the amount of trauma experienced when entering foster care,’’ Amy said.