Oklahoma Nonprofit Partners With DHS To Provide Holiday Gifts For Foster Kids

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy is teaming up with the state Department of Human Services to ensure children in foster care have gifts to open on Christmas morning.

DHS provides $150 gift cards for each child in state custody to foster parents. With nearly 6,000 children in foster care across Oklahoma, the agency recently sought additional help to provide an extra 200 gift cards this year.

The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy has been able to secure most of the cards but is still about 20 short.

Joe Dorman, CEO of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, says it can be a traumatic experience for children when they are placed into foster care, so this program helps to provide some hope and comfort to children in need.

“Unless somebody has actually been in foster care themselves and endured that traumatic experience of being removed from home, you cannot imagine what it’s like,” Dorman said. “These kids are going through the worst experience of their life, and for some of them, it’s right before the holidays.”

The deadline to donate gift cards is Dec. 22 to ensure they arrive in time for Christmas. Any remaining funds will be used to purchase backpacks and school supplies for foster children next summer.

Those interested in contributing can visit the organization’s website HERE.