Foster children face the world with fewer resources than most. Helping Foster Kids provides essential support, mentorship, and love so no child has to face it alone.
We make sure every foster child gets celebrated on their birthday — because every child deserves to feel special.
Full backpacks for every child, every year.
Resources for foster families in need.
Helping Foster Kids is a newly founded nonprofit. We haven't yet tracked our own numbers — but the national data makes the mission crystal clear. These are the children we are here for.
We are just getting started. Helping Foster Kids Inc. was founded to close these gaps — one child, one birthday, one backpack at a time. As we grow, we will share our own impact numbers here. Your donation today helps us build that story.
We believe in radical transparency. Here's where every dollar goes:
Provides age-appropriate books and educational materials to spark a love of reading in one child.
Covers backpack, notebooks, pencils, crayons, scissors, and all supplies a child needs to start school confident.
Gives a foster child a full birthday experience — cake, decorations, gifts, and the feeling that someone cares.
Warm coat, gloves, hat, and boots to protect a child through the winter months.
A month's worth of essential hygiene products, vitamins, and personal care items for a teenager in foster care.
Become a monthly sponsor and provide consistent, reliable support to one child throughout the entire year.
From school supplies to birthday boxes, each program was designed by people who understand what foster children truly need. Scroll down to learn more about each one.
Every August we pack and distribute backpacks filled with supplies so kids start the year ready to learn — not struggling.
No child should spend their birthday forgotten. We deliver personalized birthday boxes with cake, gifts, and a card signed by our volunteers.
We provide resources, essentials, and emotional support to foster families so they can give children the stability they deserve.
Teens who age out of foster care face the world alone. We help them with essentials, life-skills, and connections to support services.
Learn exactly what each program provides, who qualifies, and how to apply — because you deserve to know exactly how we can help.
Starting school without supplies isn't just inconvenient — it's embarrassing and discouraging for children who are already navigating so much. Every year in August, our volunteers pack fully loaded backpacks and deliver them directly to foster children in our program. We make sure every child walks into school on day one feeling prepared, confident, and cared for.
Research shows that children who feel celebrated on their birthday experience higher self-worth and emotional wellbeing. Yet too many foster children spend their birthdays without a single acknowledgment. Our Birthday Box Program ensures that doesn't happen. Each box is individually packed by volunteers who care — and delivered right to the child's home or placement.
Foster parents are the backbone of this system — and they are often stretched thin. They open their homes and hearts to children who have experienced trauma, and they deserve to be supported in return. Our Foster Family Support Program provides direct resources, emergency essentials, and a community of people who understand what they're going through.
Every year, thousands of young people "age out" of foster care at 18 with no family, no safety net, and no roadmap. Statistics show that without support, many face homelessness, unemployment, and deep isolation within the first year. Our Aging Out Assistance program walks alongside these young people as they transition into adulthood — because 18 is too young to be truly alone.
If you are a foster child, foster parent, guardian, caseworker, or aging-out youth — we are here for you. Fill out the form below and our team will reach out within 48 hours.
Anyone connected to a child in foster care can reach out on their behalf. You don't need to provide extensive documentation — we just need to understand how we can help.
Children currently placed in foster care can apply for birthday boxes, school supplies, clothing, and more.
Licensed foster parents, kinship caregivers, and guardians can apply for family support resources and emergency essentials.
Young adults preparing to age out or who have recently aged out can self-refer for transitional support and mentorship.
Professionals working with foster children can refer families and youth directly to our programs.
Real words from the people whose lives are touched every day.
"My daughter had never celebrated her birthday before she came to us. Helping Foster Kids showed up with a box full of gifts and a cake. She cried. I cried. That moment changed everything."
"I aged out of foster care at 18 with nothing. This organization helped me get back-to-school items and connected me to resources. They treated me like I mattered — because I do."
"Volunteering here is the most meaningful thing I do all year. We pack those backpacks knowing a specific child will open it. The smiles we hear about later — that's why I keep coming back."
Whether you're here to give, serve, or receive — there's a place for you here.
Your financial gift directly funds birthday boxes, school supplies, and emergency support for foster children and families. 100% tax-deductible.
Donate NowJoin our team of 120+ volunteers. Pack backpacks, organize birthday drives, deliver boxes, or help with events. Every hour matters.
Sign Up to VolunteerWe accept new school supplies, hygiene products, toys, books, and birthday items. Contact us to arrange a drop-off or drive a collection at your workplace.
Donate ItemsAre you a foster child, foster parent, guardian, or aging-out youth? Our programs are free. Fill out a short form and we'll reach out within 48 hours.
Apply for HelpHelping Foster Kids is a 100% volunteer-led organization. Every dollar donated goes directly to the children and families we serve — not to administrative overhead.
We'd love to have you. Fill out the form below and we'll reach out within 48 hours about upcoming opportunities.