LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – On the outside, it looks like any other house but this home is full of hope.
“In here there are new socks and all of this here is just brand new socks that we're able to help those brand new placements because when they come into your house they have nothing,” Angela Bischoff, Hope’s Closet founder, said.
Bischoff's garage is packed full of bins and trash bags of donations.
“If it's a backpack or just clothing they're just really excited to receive because they may not have had that in their life,” Bischoff said.
Bischoff's experiences as a foster parent helped her create Hope's Closet. Families often have just a few hours to prepare their home with items for a new child and Hope's Closet helps to ease that stress.
“I most recently took in a newborn straight from the hospital. I had nothing for a newborn so I was actually over here at Angela's clothing closet at 9 pm gathering things I needed in order to bring him home,” Cristin Camber, a foster parent, said.
Hope's Closet currently serves nine counties in Kentucky, which makes for a lot of traveling. And as the garage fills with donations, the hope is to take this closet on the road.
“Hopefully we can raise the funds for a trailer so we can host shopping days in different counties for foster parents there,” Jennifer Mortenson, Hope’s Closet co-founder, said.
Growing and expanding is the goal to reach as many foster families and kids as possible, each sock, jacket or toy change a life.
“I go to work every day and I think this kid doesn't even know where he's living tomorrow. They don't have those things that your kids have or most of us had experienced growing up. So if people could donate it would mean the world to me, and every other foster parent in our community,” Ashley Dearinger, a foster parent said.
Bischoff says right now they're in need of coats. If you would like to donate, you can contact Hope's Closet through their Facebook page, Hope's Closet Kentucky. They are hoping to raise enough money for a trailer so they can go mobile but they say the ultimate goal is to have a store where foster parents and kids can come and shop.