What were you doing when you were 10 years old? Chances are you weren’t busy making your own nonprofit organization. That’s what James Foster did three years ago. And his Hope for Every Child donates stuffed animals to kids.
James is now 13 years old and his efforts with Hope for Every Child are getting bigger. This week he, along with volunteers, brought over 1000 stuffed animals to the Elias Brookings School in Springfield. The stuffed animals were for the elementary students there and were James’ gift for the school’s Friendship Day.
When James founded Hope for Every Child three years ago he had a mission: to provide good clothing, good food and good food to kids and their families. He says this year his charity has collected about 1500 stuffed animals for students. Foster’s mother, Stephanie, said it’s heartwarming to see how the community comes together to support the organization’s efforts, which also include a book drive in June and a board game drive in December.
“We feel very, very blessed to be able to bring this kind of love to Brookings,” she said to Mass Live. The toys also come with a lesson on friendship. On Wednesday, students will participate in activities focused on friendship, diversity and inclusion, including a reading of “Be Who You Are,” by children’s book author and illustrator Todd Parr.
James also likes the work he’s doing. He says he loves to help kids and bring a smile to them. “They get really excited about it and it’s really gratifying,” Foster said.
