Thematically, this post belongs right where it is, following yesterday’s post about shoes. Shoes can change a person’s life…and I am not talking about ballet slippers either. I mean, real shoes. Simple, new, never been worn before, shoes. Fostering change has to start in the community…if it can and if it can’t; then it starts with one person and then it grows.

The story I heard today about the foster system in a state fairly far from here, but in terms of ability to help, so very close. The system of fostering a child – as in stepping in to care and support a child who doesn’t have a place to live or a family who can raise them – shouldn’t be a “system”. That is simply too impersonal and is fraught with risk of funds being mishandled.

This person used to help dogs who were in shelters. She has changed her mind about what is important to her. She said “how can I care for dogs when there are children who don’t have shoes to wear?” I have to help them. I can’t imagine being a child who doesn’t get a card or a gift on their birthday because the people right around them don’t care enough about them to do that one, simple thing.

I think she has made a good choice.

I know that people can’t do everything and they can’t help everyone, but fostering change in each local, country and state run organization is really something that has to be done. Making the difference for one child, with a single pair of new shoes is an easy thing for so many to do – without even thinking twice. It makes me pause… How can we have children who don’t get enough to eat, don’t have shoes on their feet and don’t have someone to really, truly care about them – right here in this country – that we all think is so great?

~ Dawn aka Hat Girl