December 12, 2024 marks a significant event as this paid piece is sponsored by Central Bank. The wish lists of these children are as diverse as they are, each carrying the dreams and stories behind them. Take, for instance, 5-year-old Krew who desires a remote-controlled car. 17-year-old Elizabeth longs for a Taylor Swift sweatshirt. Twelve-year-old Juan hopes for Nike shoes and a Hy-Vee gift card. And 14-year-old Chloe includes pajamas and anything that makes noise and lights up in her list. These kids are among at least 900 in the Sioux Falls area whose personalized Christmas wishes are waiting to be fulfilled, all thanks to the growing efforts of The Foster Network.

Annual "Give Joy This Christmas" Campaign

The Sioux Falls-based nonprofit is in the final stages of its annual "Give Joy This Christmas" campaign. As Kristen Rhoades, the interim board chair, mentioned, "Last year, we provided around 700 gifts, and this year, we've already had 897 requests. There are still kids entering foster care, so we'll be over 900 gifts." Any child placed with parents who aren't biological can avail of their services. Families started submitting lists in October, including those with foster children and those providing care to related children like grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Teachers and church members have also been suggesting gifts. Rhoades said, "We get the dream list, and then we start trying to fill it. Since it's a true wish list, they're getting exactly what the kids want."

Christina Hoy's Foster Parent Journey

When Christina Hoy moved to Sioux Falls after serving as a foster parent in Maryland, the program was new to her. She and her husband recently adopted a 4-year-old and 2-year-old boy who had lived with them in foster care. About eight years ago, they began as foster parents on the East Coast as she was a stay-at-home parent with little kids at home. She said, "There aren't many ways to be connected to the community and be part of the solution when you have little kids at home. This was a way I could fill an empty spot in my van and my house and be part of the community." They signed up for their first foster children in Sioux Falls in late 2022, and The Foster Network was great. They still managed to ensure their two little boys had a wonderful Christmas. This year, the boys are asking for magnetic blocks, trains, and preschool board games. Hoy added, "They still play with the toy cars and a car rug they got last year. It's helpful, and it allows us to allocate resources differently. The emotional impact of knowing the community is supporting our efforts in foster care is even more significant than the financial impact for me personally. And for many families, it significantly changes what their holidays can look like. I think it makes a huge difference. There are some hard days as a foster parent, and it helps knowing our community cares about the situation these kids are in and the families caring for them."

Supporting Families During the Holiday Season

For the families, "it's a huge relief knowing the Christmas season is covered," Rhoades said. "The Christmas season in general is really, really tough on kids not with their biological parents, so this is one way to support them through a very challenging time of year." There's still time to choose a virtual tag from this website, buy a gift, and return it to the Foster Network at 620 S. Cliff Ave. It's open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m today and Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. You can also make a cash donation online, and volunteers will shop for gifts on the unclaimed tags.

Central Bank's Contribution

This year, the effort was supported by Central Bank with a donation on Giving Tuesday. Joe Gannon, the senior vice president and Sioux Falls market president, said, "We are grateful for the opportunity to support The Foster Network, especially during this special time of year. We are blessed to help fulfill the wishes for these children, hoping to make their Christmas and holidays a little brighter." If you'd like to do the shopping yourself, donations need to be in by Monday, Dec. 16. In addition to taking them to The Foster Network, you can also drop them in the lobby of Scooter's Coffee locations at 5009 S. Western Ave., 7710 S. Dakota Hawk Ave., and 6503 W. 41st St.Outside of the holiday season, The Foster Network offers a variety of services to families. The Closet, where kids in foster care can receive clothing and other necessities, is staffed by volunteers. It's a great option for donating time or resources year-round. Rhoades said, "We are here to support the whole foster family. We do that through tangible resources like clothing but also emotional support. No kid makes it through foster care without some sort of trauma, and being a foster parent can be really isolating. So we're here to help both kids and parents know they're not alone. There are others going through this, and we can all support each other."To connect with The Foster Network, click here.