KENT COUNTY, Mich. — A local non-profit hosted a “packing party” to fill backpacks with personal care items that will be given to local youth in foster care.

Event organizers say while not everyone can adopt children in the foster care system, events like today are just one way you can make a difference for foster youth in your community.

“Most people don’t realize is that when a child enters our system…that they are actually handed a trash bag, a trash bag to carry their belongings. You and I both know that trash bags were invented, for one thing to put trash and not children’s clothing,” said Rob Scheer, founder of Comfort Cases.

Non-profit Comfort Cases, partnered with Hap CareSource to purchase things like blankets, books, pajamas, and much more to fill hundreds of backpacks and deliver them to Samaritas foster care facility in Kent County today.

“So when a child is removed from their family, we are prepared to step up,” said Samaritas representative Hope.

Hope says events like these help set children up for success when leaving their home suddenly.

“To be able to just give them those essentials, so that there’s one less thing and that the kids feel safe and cared for in a really, really tough situation where they’re being separated from their families. So yeah, it makes a big difference. I think those little things that a lot of us take for granted,” said Hope.

Out of the 500 backpacks made, 250 of those will be delivered to youth in Kent County by the end of the night. And none of this would have been possible without the help from local volunteers.

“The one thing that each and every one of us do. And the thing that we have in common, no matter how much money we make, no matter where we live, is we can volunteer. We can volunteer, look at round Look at this. This is a community has come together because they truly believe making a difference in a child’s life,” said Scheer.

Scheer said this is the biggest donation the non-profit has participated in, yet usually only 200 backpacks are stuffed. Today they doubled that number and they plan to host another event like this again.

For more volunteer opportunities visit here.

Learn more here.