Foster Pantry opens its doors for even more families in need

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - Foster pantry, a nonprofit opened its doors to kinship and foster families Saturday. Cofounder of Foster Pantry, Emily Klinefelter felt compelled to start the nonprofit that helps foster and kinship families get clothes, toys and every day essentials they may not have when they brought a child in.

“We kept seeing over and over again that they were just coming with the clothes on their back," Klinefelter says, "You hear the horror trash bag stories and it was just something we needed to change.”

The idea stemmed from a mission trip that she and her husband took to Guatemala.

“We were talking about how can we serve here in our community and not leave the country, it was around the same time we were talking about growing our family,” Klinefelter says, "It was just kind of a light bulb moment of ‘oh fostering, what a great way to serve and potentially adopt one day’.”

A large number of families benefit from the Foster Pantry; including Stacy Pullen, a foster mom to a baby girl.

“When my husband and I decide to take on another placement, we don’t have to worry about the gender or age because we don’t have stuff at the house currently to take care of them. But we can bring them in and call the pantry and they can bring us everything we need," Pullen says.

The Foster Pantry has helped over 150 families this year. They welcome any donations especially as the holidays arrive.

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