Why Foster Care Awareness Month Matters – And How You Can Help

May is Foster Care Awareness Month – Here's Why It Matters

Every May, Foster Care Awareness Month shines a light on the more than 391,000 children in the U.S. foster care system. It's a time to recognize the strength and resilience of foster youth and to educate the public about the challenges they face—and the small but powerful ways we can all help.

At My Bag My Story, we believe in restoring dignity to children in foster care, one bag at a time.

The Harsh Reality for Kids in Foster Care

Did you know that many children entering foster care are given a trash bag to carry their belongings?

Not only is this dehumanizing, but it also reinforces feelings of instability and low self-worth. Kids in foster care already face overwhelming odds. Here are a few staggering facts:

1 in 5 foster youth will experience homelessness after aging out of care.

Over 50% of foster kids suffer from mental health challenges due to trauma and instability.

Many children change homes multiple times, often without warning or the chance to properly pack.

Only 50% of foster youth graduate high school by age 18.

These young people deserve better. They deserve dignity, belonging, and something of their own.

How My Bag My Story Helps

We’re on a mission to #EndTheTrashBag. Our nonprofit provides new backpacks and duffel bags to children in foster care—bags they can call their own.

We believe that something as simple as a real bag can remind a child that they matter. Our Buy One, Donate One model allows you to shop with purpose. When you buy a bag, we donate one to a child in foster care.

Want to help even more directly?

Donate $29 to gift a child a backpack.

Donate $39 for a brand-new duffel bag.

Every dollar makes an impact.

How You Can Make a Difference During Foster Care Awareness Month

✅ Donate a bag – A small act with lasting impact.
✅ Share this blog – Awareness is the first step toward change.
✅ Follow us on social media – Help amplify the voices of foster youth.
✅ Start a fundraiser – Engage your network to support foster kids.
✅ Support our mission – Shop our bags that give back.

Let’s show these children that they are not forgotten—and that they are so much more than a trash bag.