Thank you, so much, for your interest in partnering with Beloved to serve the displaced children housed at Camp Atterbury. I’m so grateful that the Red Cross has entrusted our community with this opportunity to provide, in some small way, for the physical and emotional needs of these kids in crisis. Because the children and families at Camp Atterbury will be relocated over the next few months, it’s imperative that we meet this need within the next two weeks. By providing each child in residence with a high-quality duffle bag full of support items and necessities, we will be equipping them to enter an unfamiliar space with something of value, something familiar that belongs to them. We would be so grateful for your help in reaching the goal of equipping each of the 2900 displaced children with a Beloved Bag. Here’s how you can help!
Because we have to order supplies to fill these bags by early next week, financial donations are the most expedient way to make an immediate difference. Each bag, fully equipped, costs about $50. If you have access to contributions that would help us in this effort, you can donate them online at www.belovedbags.org. If we exceed our targeted financial goal, all remaining funds will be used to provide a Beloved Bag to our core recipients- children entering foster or kinship care in our local community.
Below, you will find a list of supplies that must be assembled before we can pack bags on September 22, 23, and 24. If you would like to choose an item to provide, please let us know which items you would like to supply and in what quantity on or before Monday, September 13th. Then, we will adjust the bulk orders that we plan to place on Tuesday, September 14th accordingly. We have been asked to provide 841 bags for children ages 0-4, 1050 bags for children ages 5-9, and 1008 bags for children ages 10 and up. Our needs are as follows:
Infant/Toddler Bag (Ages 0-4 -- 841 bags needed)
Children’s Tear Free Shampoo/Conditioner
Baby Lotion
Baby Wash or Children’s Body Wash
Small, child-safe rattle or toy
Small stuffed toy
Wipes
Diaper Cream
Pacifier
Book
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Small blanket
Child Bag (Ages 5-9 -- 1050 bags needed)
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body Wash
Stuffed Animal
Book
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Washcloth/Loofah Puff
Blanket
Coloring/Activity Book
Crayons
Flashlight
Older Child/Teen Bag (Ages 10 and up -- 1008 bags needed)
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body Wash
Deodorant
Fidget Item (Pop toy, fidget spinner, Rubik’s cube, etc.)
Book
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Washcloth/Loofah Puff
Blanket
Hardback Journal
Gel Pens
Flashlight
All donated items need to be full-sized, brand new, and gender-neutral. We will gather to pack the bags on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of September. Watch your local news and social media for more information about those packing events.
Just as Beloved Bags are a vehicle for communicating value and dignity to local kids removed from unsafe situations and placed into foster and kinship care, we hope that they will send a message of
hope and respect to these refugee children who have already survived unimaginable trauma. We hope this bag signals the beginning of better days ahead.
Please contact us at friends@belovedbags.org to communicate your availability to support these kids with Beloved.