Thank you so much for the treat box! It has arrived in a week when we’re providing emergency care for 2 little boys and we’re all a bit under the weather, so it’s been a real blessing!

Please could you pass on this heartfelt thank you from our group to the mysterious and wonderfully kind supporter of Home for Good who sent us the beautiful gift boxes. They are so gratefully received. What is so special is the thought and love that has gone into them; knowing that there are people praying for us means so much.

These are just a few of the many messages our team have received after Laura contacted us to share an idea she had: to create and send bespoke gift boxes to Home for Good support groups, in the hope that they might feel seen, appreciated and encouraged. She’s shared some of her story with us.

I took part in an online course with my church during lockdown. We weren’t able to meet together and experience the usual warmth of hospitality and a home-cooked meal, so I was really touched when a bag of treats arrived at my door from the group leaders. It got me thinking, “How could I bless someone else in a similar way?”.

I had come across Home for Good through a few different routes. I took part in a training course for children and youth leaders, which had a strong focus on supporting care-experienced children in a group setting. I read the Home for Good book, and I spent some time working with a church leader who was incredibly supportive of what Home for Good were doing. We have some friends and family members who have welcomed children into their family through adoption, and we’ve seen some of the blessings and also the challenges that this can bring. I wanted to offer a gesture of gratitude to those who are making a huge difference in the lives of children and young people.

I started creating some gift packs when COVID restrictions were at their height. The goal was to create a small box of treats that would be an encouragement to families who have adopted or who foster, letting them know they are seen and appreciated. Most of what we chose to include is fairly traded, and someone kindly donated hundreds of Summerdown teabags and minty treats for the boxes, giving them a beautiful aroma as soon as you open them!

If you are reading this, and you’re not in a position to be able to foster, adopt or provide supported lodgings, I want to encourage you: there are lots of ways that you can make a difference. If God has put something on your heart to do – whether it’s big or small – try it! I’ve become increasingly aware that families need to be surrounded and supported in a variety of ways, so there truly is a part that each of us can play. And if you’re not sure if your idea would be helpful or appropriate, then just ask. I’m sure that a friend who cares for children, a Champion or a member of the Home for Good team would be delighted to give you some direction.