Last year, at the end of an intense three-day garage sale, I packed up a box of sentimental items from my children’s early years… and got pretty emotional about it.

My husband and I sold so much stuff that weekend. It was a whirlwind. And honestly, if we had space to continue storing all of it, I probably would’ve done that instead. Letting go can be hard, especially when it’s stuff you’ve been holding onto for a long time.

I was done, you know? Looking around at the carnage in our garage, I figured we could keep the rest.

But then, one last customer showed up. They offered to take the rest of my kids’ old clothes for $X. It was a pretty good deal, and it would spare me from having to pack everything back into storage bins. Score.

And yet… I couldn’t accept. Something my friend and fellow realtor Jeanne told me popped into my head, and I instantly knew what I wanted to do with the unsold clothes.

Less than 30 minutes from Midland, in Bay City, there’s a place called Foster Families Navigation and Resource Center. It’s a hub for foster families, created by people who have firsthand experience with the difficulties of fostering.

The NRC provides necessities like car seats and clothing, as well as education and school supplies. They help organize sibling visits, adoption support, and even skills training for youth. There are support groups, mentorship programs, community events, and so much more.

At that moment, looking around at my clothing-filled garage, I knew I wanted to contribute to their mission.

So, I called Sarah, the founder and executive director of Foster Families Navigation, and she boxed up everything they could use.

Suddenly, my garage was empty—and my heart was full (if a little sad).

I’m so grateful to have been able to contribute to such an important mission. If you’re a foster parent in the Midland area, be sure to check out this incredible resource. And if you’d like to get involved, you can reach out to Sarah and her team here.