Welcoming Tippecanoe County CASA to The Foster Closet

We always love opening our doors to organizations that share our passion for supporting children and families, and recently we had the pleasure of welcoming the staff from Tippecanoe County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) to The Foster Closet.

During their visit, we had the opportunity to share our mission, give them a tour of our space, and talk about how The Foster Closet serves children in foster care, kinship and relative placements, and adoptive families throughout our community. More importantly, we had meaningful conversations about how we can work together to better connect families with the resources they need.

At The Foster Closet, we believe that something as simple as a new outfit or a pair of shoes can make a child feel seen, valued, and ready to face a new day. That's why we're so grateful for partnerships with organizations like Tippecanoe County CASA, whose advocates work every day to ensure children in Tippecanoe County have someone speaking up for their best interests.

CASA volunteers are trained community members who serve as a voice for children involved in the court system, helping advocate for safe, permanent, and nurturing homes. Their commitment to children aligns so closely with our own mission of making sure every child has access to essential clothing and the dignity that comes with it.

Our visit together also highlighted how important community support is. The Foster Closet is completely volunteer-run and relies on generous donations to keep our shelves stocked for the families we serve. As we prepare for the back-to-school season, our greatest needs are boys' and girls' clothing in sizes 5–10 and children's shoes. New or gently used donations can be dropped off anytime at our donation bin located at Innovation Church.

We are incredibly thankful to the Tippecanoe County CASA team for taking the time to visit, learn about our mission, and explore ways we can support children together.

Strong community partnerships help create stronger support systems for families, and we're excited about what the future holds.

If you'd like to learn more about Tippecanoe County CASA, becoming a volunteer advocate, or supporting their mission, you can email casa@tippecanoe.in.gov.

Together, we can make sure every child has not only someone advocating for them—but also the everyday essentials they need to thrive.

Lafayette-Based Foster Closet Expands to Muncie, Opening Second Location to Serve More Indiana Families

Five years after opening in Lafayette, nonprofit founded by Billy and Mandy Holden continues growing its mission to support foster, adoptive, and kinship families

What began as a simple idea born from personal experience in Lafayette has grown into a thriving resource for foster families across Indiana.

The Foster Closet, founded by Billy and Mandy Holden through Innovation Church in Lafayette, celebrated the grand opening of its second location in Muncie on June 7, marking a significant milestone in the organization's five-year journey of serving children and families involved in foster care. The new Muncie location is housed at Illuminate Muncie Foursquare, 3101 S. Walnut St., Muncie, IN 47302. The original Lafayette location operates at River City Church, 108 Beck Ln., Lafayette, IN 47909.

The idea for The Foster Closet was sparked when the Holdens became foster parents themselves. Like many foster families, they quickly discovered how overwhelming and expensive it can be to prepare for a child arriving in their home with little notice. Furnishing bedrooms, purchasing clothing, gathering toiletries, and securing basic necessities often created additional stress during an already emotional transition.

As friends, family members, and community supporters donated items to help their family, Mandy Holden recognized a larger need. What if there was a place where every foster family could access those essentials free of charge?

That vision became The Foster Closet.

Opening in Lafayette in 2021, The Foster Closet was created to provide foster parents, kinship caregivers, and children entering care with clothing, shoes, hygiene products, bedding, toys, baby equipment, and other necessities at no cost. What started as a local ministry quickly grew into a trusted community resource serving families throughout the region.

"From the very beginning, our goal was to remove barriers for families who say 'yes' to caring for children," said founder Mandy Holden. "When children enter foster care, they often arrive with very little. We wanted families to know they wouldn't have to face those needs alone."

Over the past five years, The Foster Closet at Innovation Church has helped hundreds of children and caregivers by providing essential items, supporting emergency placements, and building a network of community partners committed to strengthening foster, adoptive, and kinship families.

Now, with the opening of the Muncie location, that mission is expanding to serve even more families throughout East Central Indiana.

The June 7 grand opening brought together foster families, community leaders, volunteers, donors, and local supporters to celebrate the organization's newest chapter. Guests enjoyed live music, local vendors, food, family activities, and opportunities to learn more about the services available through the Foster Closet.

Throughout the day, the atmosphere reflected the strong sense of community that has fueled the organization's growth from Lafayette to Muncie. Supporters, partners, and families gathered not only to celebrate the opening of a new location, but also the impact the Foster Closet has made in the lives of children and caregivers over the past five years.

The Foster Closet extends heartfelt gratitude to its staff, volunteers, donors, and community partners whose dedication made the expansion possible. Special thanks go to Carl Bentley Band, The Food Vault, Cheesecake-N-Motion LLC, AddiLine's, The Borrow Bar, Sowing A Seed, Pretty Little Cafe, and Leedoms Loaves & More for helping make the grand opening a success.

The organization also recognizes The Foster Closet at Innovation for its years of guidance, support, and encouragement throughout this journey.

While the opening of the Muncie location is a major milestone, leaders say it represents the beginning of a new chapter rather than a finish line.

"Five years ago, this mission started in Lafayette with a desire to help foster families feel supported and equipped," said Holden. "Today, because of an incredible community of donors, volunteers, churches, businesses, and advocates, we're able to extend that support to even more children and families. We're excited to see what the future holds."

As the Foster Closet looks ahead, its mission remains unchanged: ensuring that every child entering foster care, kinship care, or a crisis situation has access to the essentials they need and the dignity they deserve.

Community members interested in supporting The Foster Closet can donate gently used or new items, make financial contributions, volunteer their time, or partner with the organization through community initiatives. More information is available at www.thefostercloset.net. Donations directly support children and families served through the organization's Lafayette and Muncie locations.

About The Foster Closet

Founded in Lafayette, Indiana, in 2021 by Billy and Mandy Holden, The Foster Closet provides free clothing, shoes, hygiene products, baby equipment, bedding, toys, school supplies, and other essential items to children in foster care, kinship care, and adoptive families.

Through community donations and volunteer support, The Foster Closet helps remove barriers for caregivers while ensuring children have access to the necessities they need to thrive.

Holiday of Hope: Subaru of America Brings Joy to Local Foster Families

The holiday season is a time for generosity, compassion, and community—and this year, Subaru of America truly embodied all three through their annual Holiday of Hope Drive. We are incredibly grateful to have been selected as one of the featured organizations and to receive an overwhelming donation in support of children in foster care.

What Is the Holiday of Hope Drive?

The Holiday of Hope Drive is a long-standing employee giving initiative at Subaru of America that has been making a difference for more than 12 years. Each year, Subaru employees rally together to support their communities by donating essential items to organizations in need.

Annually, five organizations are selected to benefit from the drive, including:

• Two organizations serving children

• A pet or humane shelter

• A program supporting veterans

• A family in need

  
  

We were honored to be chosen as one of the organizations serving children this year.

How the Drive Works

To kick off the program, donation tags are placed on garlands at each Subaru of America entrance. Each tag lists a specific need—such as clothing, shoes, hygiene items, or other essentials.

Employees select a tag, shop for the listed item, and return their donations to Associate Services at SIA. This hands-on approach allows employees to directly see and feel the impact of their giving.

A Powerful Impact for Foster Families

Thanks to the generosity of Subaru of America employees, our Foster Closet received approximately 11 boxes of donated items. These donations will go directly to children and families navigating the foster care system—helping ensure they have what they need during the holiday season and beyond.

Every box represents warmth, dignity, and hope for a child who may be experiencing uncertainty during the holidays.

Thank You, Subaru of America

We cannot thank Subaru of America enough for their continued commitment to community giving and for including our Foster Closet in this meaningful program. Their support helps us continue our mission of providing essential items to foster children and families—free of charge and with compassion at the center of everything we do.

Programs like Holiday of Hope remind us that when businesses and communities come together, real and lasting change is possible.

Get Involved

If you’d like to support our Foster Closet through donations, volunteering, or partnerships, we would love to hear from you. Together, we can continue creating holidays—and futures—filled with hope.

The Foster Closet