TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — For some children in foster care, arriving at a new home means starting over with only the clothes on their backs. A northside non-profit called More Than A Bed is a resource center supporting foster and adoptive families with essential items.
Data shows that on any given day, over 350,000 children are living in the U.S. foster care system.
In the month of June alone, more than a bed supported over 350 foster families, about 1,000 children in foster care and distributed nearly 500 pairs of shoes. It shows just how big the need really is.
“Some of these kids have come out of very, very difficult situations. Something that most of us can’t even imagine and it affects their entire lives," said Grace Stocksdale, founder and executive director of More Than A Bed.
Motivated to uplift the lives of children in foster care, Stocksdale first visited a group home in 2014 to familiarize herself with the foster system.
“And it just broke my heart to see all of these little faces," Stocksdale said.
Stocksdale knew she had to do something to help.
“So, then I started talking--realizing that in my church, I had a couple of foster families," shared Stocksdale. "I started talking to them and I'm going, “What do you need? What is the problem?”
Soon after her group home visit in 2014, she founded More Than A Bed inside her garage. About a decade later, she moved the non-profit into two 5,000 sq. ft. warehouses.
“We provide you with a new bed for that child and then everything that we provide, as far as clothing and shoes and underwear and socks and toys and stuffies. This is something that is theirs," said Stocksdale.
More Than A Bed is intentionally designed to look like a department store. Stocksdale says every single item is distributed at no cost.
“We respect them enough to give them clean items," said Stocksdale. "We want them to appreciate that these shoes they can wear anywhere and nobody's going to say, ‘you got holes in your shoes’.”
With the start of the school year around the corner, Stocksdale says they’re in major need of specific items.
You can support More Than A Bed by donating cribs, hygiene items, back-to-school supplies and many items alike. Click here for more information.
The non-profit is also collecting new toys ahead of its annual Christmas event, which Stocksdale says will be December 13.
More Than A Bed is located at 3637 N. 1st Ave.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
