The Journey Bag is selected by a generous donor who will shop to fill the bag according to age & size, and bring it back to us.

1

Village of Hope takes the Journey Bag to our storage where it will be checked during a Work Party to ensure quality, correct items
and sizes.

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Once the bag is checked, we deliver it to the Child Welfare Office where it will wait until a child entering / in foster care needs it.

3

When a child is placed in care, or moved to a different home, the bag will be given to them; making the scary transition a little bit easier!

4

The child's caregiver opens the backpack and discovers our letter, introducing them to all of our programs and welcoming them into
the Village!

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Use your mouse to navigate the interactive map!

Journey Bags - More than just a Backpack

When a Journey Bag is picked up to be filled at one of our churches or locations, oftentimes the filler never gets to see the impact that the bag will make on the child and family it is eventually given to, or how it acts as the gateway to our other programs. For those of you who have given a Journey Bag, or hope to one day, here is a recent testimony of the effect that a simple backpack can have on an 'ohana involved in foster care.

"T was recently removed from her parents' custody. When Child Welfare came to pick them up, she told them that "she can always call her Titi (auntie)." T's Auntie and Uncle have never fostered a child, however, kinship care (when a child goes to stay with a family member) is a very common placement option within foster care. When T needed a place to say, the obvious answer was "yes!" even though Titi and Uncle didn't have any clue what they were doing, how to provide, what to buy, or begin to prepare.

T's Child Welfare Case worker grabbed a backpack from the shelf at their office that was just her size and brought T to her Titi's. The backpack, that had recently been donated through a Village of Hope Journey Bag Drive, came equipped with clothing, hygienic products, toys, a bible, and more; including a letter from Village of Hope outlining our programs and resources, promising support and aid for children and families. T's Auntie reached out to Village of Hope immediately through our website, seeking help for material things like bedroom furniture and school supplies, along with emotional resources that are provided during our monthly events. Within moments of receiving a keiki into their home, Titi was able to come up with a plan, connect with people who "get it" and obtain necessary aid she wouldn't have gotten otherwise. They have since signed up to join us during our monthly Night Out program, made wishes through our partnership with One Simple Wish to support T's school needs, and even gained assistance with the recent SNAP loss.

Situations like T's and Titi's are not uncommon- in fact, they are the norm in Maui's foster community. It is no secret that many caregivers feel unprepared and unsupported, and thus decide to stop fostering after their first placement. Were it not for the support Titi received through Village of Hope, they unfortunately may not have been able to sustain T as a foster placement, and fallen through the cracks as an 'ohana, instead of providing a safe, loving, and comfortable home for a keiki who has already been through so much.

This is why we exist. And this is how you can change a life."

It Takes a Village - Meeting Real Needs, Together

This Giving Season, Village of Hope invites you to learn about the many Foster Care needs on Maui, and discover your role in making a difference!

Journey Bags act as a beautiful gateway for foster families in need, and your gifts provide the many programs we offer them beyond a backpack.

Real change happens together.

Donate to make a difference!

The simplest way to support a foster family is through financial generosity and giving. Donations keep our organization afloat, create new programs, and bless those we come into contact with. Village of Hope is committed to financial stewardship and integrity, and can assure that everything we receive is used to further our mission: Supporting Maui's Foster Community.

The programs that benefit from our monthly giving Village Builders, alongside our generous one-time, & Major Donors include:

Journey Bag Program: including supplies, drives, distribution, and development
Monthly Nights Out & Support Groups: dinners for caregivers and their keiki, along with our volunteers, games and activities, education & training resources to inform caregivers who are facing trauma & burnout, and more
Our Mentor Program: weekly activities for a mentor team of over 20 to do with their mentees, special events and group activities for community
Basic Needs Outreach: a benevolence fund for foster families to provide for things like unexpected bills, surprise placements, household needs, and more

Your generosity keeps our doors open and blesses the lives of dozens of families on Maui. Without you, Village of Hope would cease to exist.