House lawmakers donate over 3,300 items to help foster care alumni

Indiana House lawmakers donated over 3,300 household items and assembled 150 new home kits today to help young Hoosiers who are leaving the foster care system and starting life on their own.

In January, House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) and House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) joined the IARCA Institute for Excellence, an organization dedicated to supporting services for foster care children and young adults and launched a donation drive at the Statehouse to collect essential household items for foster care alumni. Today, the House hosted a volunteer day where legislators packed the donated items into new home starter kits, which the IARCA Institute will distribute to foster care alumni throughout Indiana.

“I’m incredibly excited about the success of this donation drive and our members’ support for Indiana’s foster care alumni,” Huston said. “We understand that young adults who leave the foster care system will likely have to tackle what’s next all on their own. Whether it’s moving into a dorm room or a first apartment, the expense of having basic necessities can be overwhelming – so we wanted to help. We believe in our foster alumni and it’s our hope these donations will serve as motivation, and a reminder that Indiana cares about them and their future.”

Through the “Fostering Hopeful Futures” charity initiative, the Indiana House of Representatives collected items like plastic plates, bowls and cups, kitchen utensils, oven mitts and bath items. Huston said House lawmakers assembled 150 kits, exceeding their goal of donating 100 kits.

GiaQuinta said foster care alumni often face hardships when leaving the system, especially without family support and little means to establish a permanent home.

“It’s with immense pride that I watch my colleagues provide a much-needed hand up to Hoosiers aging out of the foster care system,” GiaQuinta said. “I hope that the donations provided today serve as a jumping-off point for the futures of these young adults. Everyone deserves a house that feels like a home. We are grateful for our partners at the IARCA Institute for Excellence for not only making this event possible, but for their continued commitment to helping those the foster care system touches. I know this is a start to a productive and long-lasting relationship.”

Foster care is designed to provide temporary housing and care for children and adolescents until they can be either reunited with their family, taken in by relatives, adopted or emancipated as an adult. Approximately 20,000 young adults leave foster care in the U.S. with no legal parental relationship, according to the National Foster Youth Institute.

“The IARCA Institute is excited to partner with Indiana House leadership this year on their 2023 philanthropic initiative,” said Joshua Oswald, foster care alum and policy manager for IARCA. “I appreciate that the Speaker chose to uplift young adults transitioning from foster care to adulthood. As a former foster youth, this event shows the commitment of our legislature in taking steps to help better equip a 150 Hoosiers as they move into new homes.”

Recently, IARCA launched a Foster Alumni Team, which is made up of individuals with firsthand experience in the foster care system. To learn more about services available to older foster youth or make a donation to this campaign, contact the IARCA Institute at 317-849-8497 or email iarca@iarca.org.