Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) was among those who took part in filling backpacks for foster youth. (Photo provided)
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Comfort Cases, and the attendees from the National Conference of State Legislatures teamed up on Tuesday for a packing party at the Indianapolis Convention Center to serve some of Indiana’s most vulnerable youth living in foster care.
Together the groups filled 300 backpacks with new pajamas, socks, a blanket, stuffed animal, a book, activity materials, and dental and hygiene kits. The backpacks will then be distributed to local organizations across the state that serve youth in the foster system.
According to the Indiana Youth Institute’s 2023 Kids Count Data Book and the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS), there are more than 20,000 children experiencing foster care in Indiana. Often children are handed a trash bag to carry their belongings as they begin their journey into the foster care. Many children enter care with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Comfort Cases are backpacks filled with the basic necessities to provide children with a sense of dignity and hope.
The National Conference of State Legislatures consists of three days of in-depth policy discussion, inspirational keynote speakers, and opportunities to network and collaborate.