Erie nonprofit group working to raise hope for foster families and children

DIXON — What started as a closet full of supplies has grown into a nonprofit organization helping foster children and families across the Sauk Valley.

Raising Hope, Erie is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting foster and adoptive families by providing essential items – such as toiletries, diapers, wipes and clothing – completely free of charge.

The organization began in 2021 as a small “foster closet” created by Tiffany Garcea of Erie. Since then, it has evolved into a vital community resource, ensuring that children in care have access to the necessities they need.

“I started it as a response to some of the needs I encountered as a former foster parent over the years,” Garcea said. “Sometimes children come into foster care and they don’t have anything with them. Maybe there wasn’t time to gather any personal possessions, and so this helps to ease that transition.”

Garcea and her husband, Joey, are both pastors at local churches. They began fostering after learning about a child connected to Joey’s church who was entering the foster care system.

“Although we weren’t needed at that time, we did end up finding out about children who were sleeping on the floors of offices because they couldn’t find enough foster parents in our area,” Tiffany said. “So, that got us looking into the process of how to become foster parents.”

After sharing her hopes and dreams of starting a foster closet in the area, Tiffany’s friend and fellow Raising Hope board member, Stacy Bomleny, offered a space to start the endeavor. Eventually, more people became involved and in 2022, the small group had grown to become an officially recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with board members Andrew Bohall and Leanne Holland.

“As word of mouth continues to spread and more people get involved in foster care, it has helped us to grow and reach more families in six counties across Illinois,” Tiffany said.

Raising Hope depends on community donations and a handful of dedicated volunteers to help over 100 children each year in Whiteside, Lee, Ogle, Carroll, Jo Daviess and Rock Island counties.

The organization also hosts an annual Angel Tree Christmas present program and a summer carnival. This year’s carnival will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at Heritage Park, 421 Highland Ave. in Erie.

Want to make a donation or volunteer? Message the Raising Hope, Erie Facebook page, call Tiffany at 815-656-0356 or email her at raisinghopeerie@gmail.com.