The holiday season is starting to come into focus, and with the celebrations.
There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer and donate around the Valley, but perhaps none with as rich a history as Mesa-based Helen’s Hope Chest (HHC). For the last decade, Helen’s Hope Chest has provided people with an opportunity to change a foster child’s life with a Gift Away program known as Jakelle’s Christmas Box.
“Thousands of children are provided with gifts, books, stuffed animals, and quilts at no cost to their foster families,” Helen’s Hope Chest website says. “The spirit of the season is felt throughout the week as volunteers help the families pick out the perfect gifts.”
While Jakelle’s Christmas Box started small, the program has grown into a week-long mid-December event, allowing foster and kinship parents to come to Helen’s Hope Chest and do their holiday shopping for their foster child free of charge.
There are nearly 14,000 Arizona children in foster care, but only about 3,000 licensed foster families to take them in, according to the Arizona Department of Child Safety. The demand and need are real, but the families who can help just number too few. “There are nearly five children in care for every licensed foster family,” the DCS website says.
In 2009, Mesa United Way formed Helen’s Hope Chest to reduce the financial burden on foster families, giving kids in the foster system a glimmer of hope. “They want to be loved,” said Janice Walker, co-director of HHC. “They want to feel valued and cared about. At Helen’s Hope Chest, we are able to support these children with clothing, shoes, books, basic hygiene items, backpacks, and special items for birthdays and Christmas. We average serving more than 400 children per month with clothes shopping visits, not including special visits for backpacks and Christmas.”
The kids can visit the store by appointment and select items they need free of charge.
“If you’ve never been to Helen’s, you might be surprised at what a truly special place it is,” Janice said.
“HHC is a boutique-like setting, with clothing for ages birth to age 18, thoughtfully arranged by size and season.
Clothing is either new or gently used, and most has been donated by the generous folks of our community. Our need for good condition clothing, boys’ sizes 5T to young adult is always needed, as fewer items for boys are regularly donated.
Also, sneakers or tennis shoes that are new or gently used in boys’ sizes 3 and up are always on our list of needs.”
Helen’s Hope Chest envisions a community where every child in foster care understands their value and selfworth, and realize they have a place in our community, while every foster/kinship parent knows they are supported.
Helen’s Hope Chest comes from humble beginnings.
The program started out with a patchwork of volunteers working from two rooms in the back of a church, but thanks to community support and skyrocketing need following the 2008 recession, Helen’s Hope Chest now operates an 8,000-square-foot facility at 126 E. University Drive in Mesa.
Helen’s Hope Chest memorializes the life of Helen Paula Simmons, a former foster child who managed to raise a family of her own despite difficult circumstances.
Her daughters Debbie Jacobus and Regena Field felt compelled to further their mother’s legacy when Helen passed away in 2009. While going through her belongings, they came across a powerful note their mother had left behind. “Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life,” the note read.
Debbie and Regena vowed to share their mother’s love and determination with the community and felt Helen’s Hope Chest would fill the need.
In addition to the store, Helen’s Hope Chest operates special programs to help kids feel ready when they walk into school for the first day of classes, too. As part of its K-to-College program, Helen’s Hope Chest collects backpacks and fills them with school supplies for kids heading back to school, and partners with ASU for students headed to college.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP? DONATE.
“Clothing, new pajamas, full-size hygiene items (toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, body wash), books, shoes, or items for our birthday room are a few ideas,” Janice said. “We also will be looking for items for our Christmas event, Jakelle’s Christmas Box held in mid-December, where we will serve 2,000 kids with gifts this year.”
The Arizona Foster Care tax credit is another great way to help, according to Janice. HHC is a Qualifying Foster Charitable Organization (QFCO). Financial gifts to HHC qualify for the Arizona Foster Care Tax Credit of up to $1,051/couple or $526/individual per year.
If you would like to tour Helen’s Hope Chest or would like more information on how you can help, please give them a call at (480) 969-5411 or visit helenshopechest.org.