‘Hearts’ offers boost of warmth to foster care

632 children entered the foster care system in Contra Costa County during the 2008 calendar year, according to data provided by U.C. Berkeley’s Center for Social Services Research. In each instance, after allegations of child abuse are substantiated and the child is removed from the home, he or she is brought to a receiving center in Concord for processing.

In the majority of cases, the child arrives at the center, run by a local non-profit, with no personal belongings and often in an anguished state.

One Martinez woman has initiated a campaign, entitled Hearts at Home, to help comfort these children by simply offering something they can call their own, a soft fleece blanket to provide some mental and physical warmth.

Kelly Maria, who was raised in Crockett and moved to Martinez ten years ago, came up with the idea while attending a self-expression and leadership class at Landmark Education, a continuing education center based in San Francisco.

“We were required to complete a community project and I decided to do something related to children, as I love kids,” Maria said during a phone interview on Monday. “I did a little digging, learned about kids entering the foster care system in Contra Costa and thought it would be meaningful to make them blankets, to show someone cares during what I would imagine is a very traumatic time. Hearts at Home will provide these precious children with a fleece blanket made especially for them.”

Maria, joined by Martinez friends Ellen Barber and Carolyn Johnson, committed to raising money for enough materials to sew 100 blankets. So far the trio has brought in $1000 in donations, and the group are presently negotiating with Walmart and Shell to pledge the remaining $400 needed to complete the project.

“I’ll never even see these kids, but I hope [the blankets] will help them feel a little bit better. [Children and Family Services of Contra Costa County] had a similar program several years ago, and [an CFS employee] said they’ve received feedback from former foster kids that they still had the blanket and it meant a lot to them.”

Maria has organized upcoming sewing sessions in Crockett, Rodeo and Martinez, and welcomes anyone wishing to pitch in for the effort. More information on the Hearts at Home program is available by calling 925-817-0962.