NEEDING SOME HELP

Okay, as if that isn't COMPLETELY obvious. This is about something other than my mental state, however.

I've spent 12 years with this thought/drive/idea pounding away in my brain, and after all the "where are we going to be living next month" has fizzled away (after 10 short years) and we have our own place- I'm ready to get this plan off the ground. Just don't know where to go next.

For the past 10 years we've lived with most of our stuff in storage, so we kept buying clothes that we probably already had (but couldn't get to because they were in storage). Needless to say, we have a TON of kids clothes. And this is AFTER having sorted through them 10-15 times. I've saved the nicest ones hoping to open a "Foster Closet". A place where parents who receive a child/children at the spur of the moment or in the middle of the night, can come and find some clothing that will tide them over until they are able to get the money to purchase them something. I also wanted a place where they could borrow things like: high chairs, car seats, playpens, etc. so they wouldn't have to use their own money for a child that might stay a day, or might stay a year. I have longed to be a foster parent, but that just isn't in the cards for us yet. We are hoping that the Lord will prepare the way for us so that we can share our home, until then, I will do all that I can.

I have no idea how I would go about starting a not-for profit group, of if that's what this is really called. A great friend of mine is helping and has the same sincere drive I have. She has been blessed to be a foster parent and I have seen her, as well as other friends, struggle to find clothes at the last minute. There have even been children that come to homes that have to have all of their clothing and belonging they brought with them burned because of the meth and other drugs that have so permeated their clothing. This is NOT a child's fault, and they should NOT have to wear ill-fitting, holey, stained, old-fasioned clothes just because their parents lack commen sense.

Please help me find a way to make this possible. Pass this on to whoever you may know who might know someone to help. I am merely an instrument in the hands of the Lord, but I am not enough. I need someone to share in my passion that has some idea of what I need to do next.

God bless, and feel free to contact me through e-mail as well.

Sincerely,

Tanya
sthepworth@yahoo.com