Frequently asked questions
What is in each Beloved Bag?
Each bag is equipped with items designed to meet the immediate physical and emotional needs of kids in crisis. New, high-quality duffel and diaper bags are stocked according to the age-ranges of the children we serve and include only gender-neutral goods, making Beloved Bags more accessible for care workers to trasport and deliver. Space remains in each duffel bag for the child's own belongings.
Infant Bag (ages 0-2)
Diaper Cream
Wipes
Stuffed Toy
Blanket
Rattle
Pacifier
Board Book
Baby Wash
Baby Lotion/Shampoo
Plastic Detangling Hairbrush
Child Bag (ages 3-10)
Coloring Book
Crayons
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body Wash
Blanket
Loofah Puff
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Flashlight
Kohl’s Cares For Kids Stuffed Animal
Kohl’s Cares For Kids Book
Plastic Detangling Hairbrush
Teen Bag (ages 11-19)
Journal
Gel Pens
Blanket
Fidget Item
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body Wash
Loofah Puff
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Deodorant
Flashlight
Book --- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Plastic Detangling Hairbrush
When specific items (such as Bible Storybooks) are requested by private placement agencies, we make every effort to support those requests by including those items.
Are donations tax deductible?
Yes! Beloved maintains nonprofit status as a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax deductible.
What percentage of donated money is dedicated to projects that serve vulnerable children?
100% of all donations go directly toward the costs associated with filling and distributing Beloved Bags and creating tools that make community support accessible to foster families and individuals authorized by DCS to provide kinship care. Because all of our administrative work is performed by skilled volunteers, Beloved’s operation uses no donated funds for overhead expenditures. Everything that we have and receive is dedicated to serving vulnerable kids in our community.
How much does it cost to fill a Beloved Bag?
The total estimated cost of a filled Beloved Bag is between $35-$40. Because of the generosity of our community, most of the supplies that stock each bag are donated by individuals, churches, or businesses in the area. We purchase high quality duffel bags from a local business owner, who sells them to us at a significantly discounted price. This support helps us to keep our out of pocket costs to a minimum, equipping us to serve more area kids in crisis.
How are the bags distributed?
We work with a variety of agencies to supply each displaced child in the area with a Beloved Bag. The primary distributor of our duffel bags is the Department of Child Services, whose social workers come into direct contact with every child who is legally removed from unsafe circumstances. Because those disruptions can take a variety of forms, though, we also provide Beloved Bags to the Turning Point Domestic Violence Shelter, the local courthouse, Advocates for Children, and White’s and Benchmark foster placement agencies.
Do you ever deliver bags to children outside of Bartholomew County?
At present, all of the agencies that deliver Beloved Bags are located in Bartholomew County. Because of the generosity of our community, we are now able to support foster children in surrounding counties, at the request of their social services representatives.
How can I get involved?
Contact us at friends@belovedbags.org if you’d like to find out more about volunteer opportunities in your area.