OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — It takes a special kind of person to be a foster parent.
They open their hearts and homes up to the kids they care for but that care can be costly for some, especially when kids are getting ready to head back to school.
“Sometimes they have taken on kind of a hardship. They want to open their home and give their love but they can’t always afford everything,” said Shelly Olander, one of the foster parents that attended Foster Love's back-to-school event.
It can be a bit overwhelming to get everything a kid needs for school but one group in Omaha is stepping up to make sure the foster kids it serves have everything they need to get back in the classroom.
“Backpacks, school supplies, they get their water battle, we have haircuts, Chic-Fil-A is here. They get dessert, Kona Ice. The fire department is here and the UNO men's and women’s soccer team is here to connect and get to know the kids,” said Amber Richardson, founder and CEO of Foster Love.
The event is only in its second year but it has exploded in popularity and this year served around 150 foster kids.
“We have grown a whole 70% from last year, our numbers have increased dramatically and that is all thanks to the community and our sponsors who really give back,” said Richardson.
A backpack of school supplies and a haircut might not seem like much but for the kids at Foster Love’s events, those school supplies are a reminder that there is a whole community of people out there loving and supporting them.
“Not only does it help make sure they have their needs met but it also helps them feel special. A lot of these kids kind of aren’t feeling like they are very loved so when they can come out and see all of these people who are wanting to pour into them it helps boosts those feelings and they know that people care, said Olander.
Here are some of the other events taking place across Omaha that are helping kids get ready to head back to school:
District 2 Back to School Event
Salvation Army Back to School Event
Methodist Back to School Event
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