Hope in a Suitcase

Hope in a Suitcase was founded by several parents in Los Angeles who were concerned about the plight of the 30,000-plus children in Los Angeles County's foster care system. After packing several hundred suitcases with essential goods and figuring out how to get them into the hands of these youth in need, this group of parents established Hope in a Suitcase as an official nonprofit organization in 2016.

True to its name, the volunteer-driven organization delivers to its Foster Family Agency partners a personalized duffle or suitcase that contains new clothes and shoes, a blanket or stuffed animal, a toiletry kit, and a journal or book. Hope in a Suitcase also hosts "Shopping Days" at The Emporium: Foster Resource & Literacy Center, a "store" where foster children and teens can pick out new clothing, luggage, and hygiene products at no charge. In addition, the organization stocks special closets at emergency response facilities with essential clothing and comfort items. Through these services, Hope in a Suitcase strives to offer dignity to foster youth at a challenging time — and to remind these children and teenagers that someone is looking out for them.