(Update: Adding video)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Every Child Central Oregon is the grateful recipient of a $10,000 grant from the United Way of Central Oregon to support their clothing bundle program and by providing funding for car seats for Jefferson County and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Children entering foster care in Central Oregon often come into care with few personal belongings. In a moment of transition into a resource (foster) provider’s home, providers are often having to leave, run to the store, and buy a few days’ worth of adequate clothing for the child entering their care.

Every Child Central Oregon’s clothing bundle program provides one full outfit, one pair of pajamas, socks, and underwear to each child entering care. This simple clothing bundle allows a child and their resource (foster) provider at least 24 hours of clothing necessities so that no one must immediately rush out to a store.

Clothing bundles are a small way of providing support to a child as they enter a new environment and allows both the child and resource (foster) family time to adjust before needing to go shopping. The Clothing Bundle program offers clothing for boys’, girls’, and gender neutral/gender non- conforming, options sizes newborn-adult XL to ensure every child entering care has equitable access to the program.

Every Child Central Oregon believes that every child entering care should have a safe, age/size appropriate car seat of their own to help ensure their safety. Resource families often welcome children into their home without much, or any, lead time and are left trying to source a safe car seat immediately upon the child arriving.

In Jefferson County and for The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, this poses an extra challenge due to a lack of stores that are open late and consistently stock car seats in a reliable quantity and in every needed size.

Every Child Central Oregon serves Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson counties, and The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs by mobilizing community to uplift and support those impacted by foster care.

Every Child Central Oregon relentlessly advocates and supports local children and families impacted by foster care; committing to finding safe, nurturing homes where they can flourish during their time in care.

Additionally, ECCO provides radical hospitality to youth in care, families providing care, families of origin, and their partners working in child welfare.

With over 400 children experiencing foster care annually in Central Oregon, ECCO believes everyone has an opportunity to connect with, and support, the foster community: creating a more positive outcome for our community as a whole.

To learn more about ECCO, how to become a resource (foster) provider, donate, or volunteer, please visit www.everychildcentraloregon.org.