More than 2,500 Maine children are in state custody, removed from their homes to protect them from abuse or neglect and placed with foster families or relatives or, in many cases, living in hotels and waiting for a temporary placement.
It’s the highest number in at least two decades. And it doesn’t include many others not tracked by the state who have been taken in by relatives or friends because their parents cannot care for them.
Many of those children are among the more than 4,000 who will receive holidays gifts in the coming days because of the donors and volunteers who support the Press Herald Toy Fund.
This year, more than any in recent memory, the Toy Fund heard from foster families and guardians overwhelmed by the pressures of a strained child welfare system and by the same cost of living increases that have pushed so many other families to their limits, or beyond them.
Those letters from foster parents reflect the same selflessness that brought children into their homes in a time of need and the hope that they can provide some measure of stability to the kids who need and deserve it.
“I am requesting assistance for the children to try to make Christmas as normal as possible. I am a grandmother raising my grandson as well as a foster child who I am in the process of adopting,” wrote a woman from southern Maine.
“I adopted my sisters three kids (and) I have three kids of my own,” wrote another mother. “All eight of us live in my two-bedroom mobile home. We all have jobs and work, the kids are doing great in school and we are making the best of our situation, but it’s definitely tight, and we can use all the help we can get!!!”
“I’m just looking for some assistance with Christmas this year due to the unexpected placement of two foster kids,” a mother from central Maine wrote. “When I took in my two foster kiddos I was working full time but with two little ones and a school-aged child (of my own), I had to adjust my availability to work around my little family and they refused to do so, which ended with me being out of work for a small bit of time.”
“I have two biological sons, a grandson, an adopted daughter, three foster children, and my elderly parents to take care of. As a result, I’m only able to work part-time and need help making sure they all have a nice Christmas,” a mother from Cumberland County wrote to the Toy Fund.
“My partner and I have four young foster children this year for the holiday, unfortunately due to the cost of living we are unable to provide a lot to them for the holiday season,” a father from the Midcoast wrote. “Both of us work but will have our hours cut during the non-tourist time of the year and will be seeking a bit of help to make sure these kids have a decent holiday while they are in our home.”
Donations to the Toy Fund are used to buy new toys and books for children who otherwise would not expect the simple childhood joys of the holidays. It’s a tradition that began 75 years ago and has continued only because of the generosity of readers and commitment of volunteers.
HOW TO HELP
To make a donation online, go to pressherald.com/toy-fund.
Checks made out to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund may be mailed to 295 Gannett Drive, South Portland ME 04106.
Names of donors are published in the Press Herald unless a donor wishes to remain anonymous.
TODAY’S DONATIONS:
From 10 girls and 1 boy, Cynthia Hughes $100
Edward and Joyce Gervais $150
Martha and Hollis McBride $100
Anonymous $100
For David and Trisha, David Fayan $200
Benjamin Soule $50.00
Ursula and Chadwick Nehrt $200
Bernard and Penelope Davala $100
Kenneth and Nancy Gordon $100
Karl and Joanne Andersen $25
In loving memory of George and Frances Smith, from your daughter Theresa $50
In memory of Margery Murphy, Anonymous $200
Ronald and Barbara Boes $200
In memory of my brother Woody, with love from his sister Jerri $210.73
Happy Holidays! Dan and Ruthann Baker $100
Anonymous $50
In loving memory of our parents: William and Martha Horr and Miles and Roberta Thompson Richard and Jill Horr $50
In memory of Blanche and Fernald Goulette, from the family Elaine Goulette $50
Sonja Malhotra $40
Helen Way $50
Merry Christmas! Joe and Cindy Wyman $100
For the little people, Patricia Clark $200
Ridgeland Garden Seniors $108
Anonymous $100
Kris and Tim Masse $1,000
Anonymous $25
Carol and Dick Peterson $500
In memory of Jean Gannett Hawley, Timothy and Elizabeth Williams $1,000
Linda Hanscom $100
In loving memory of Bill and Barbara Caswell, Susan J. and Donald C. Foss Jr. $50
In memory of Lora A. Lemanski and Frank Adam Lucas, Frank A Lemanski $75
Debby and Peter Murray, Murray Charitable Trust $200
Teresa W. Messer $100
Anonymous $100
In memory of Suzy and Angel, Kenneth and Pauline Curtis $200
Anonymous $25
Tom and Sandra Ingram $100
For the children with love, Irene and Frank Discatio $1,000
In memory of Gam and Bump, Susan Soule $25
Please accept this donation in memory of Henk Pols. Thank you, Linda & Richard Baird $300
Merry Christmas! Congrats on 75 years of giving! Kristen L. Damuth $100
Daniel L and Ellen Richards $125
From MELMO, Jack and Virginia Clements $50
In memory of The Hines and Harrigan Family. From the Family $25
Nancy Keith-Maki $50
In memory of Nana, Maxine Hartford’s 100th birthday for children — who loved Christmas, Kathleen H. Carr $100
To all the Earth Angels that help so many families. Thank you. Jim & Peggy Folland $300
Anthony Debruyn $250
Merry Christmas and God bless you all! Julie Ann Colbert $100
Given by my Great Grandchildren, Patricia S. & Brian R. Hussey $150
In loving memory of Bunny Murphy and Susan Butler, Elizabeth Murphy $105.52
In loving memory of Uncle Bob. From the Miller Family $75
Jane F. Henry $100
In memory of Priscilla Scala, Mary J. & Joseph L. Scala $100
Peter D & Kristen A. Lemay $75
In memory of Reed & McAloney Families, Ameriprise Financial $50
Paul R. Cullinan & Margaret C. Burby $50
In memory of our loved ones, Dick and Patty Brown $50
Anonymous $650
Priscilla G. Oneil $100
In memory of my Dad, Donald Hawkes $100
Season’s Greeting to everyone! Jim & Janet Bither $100
Bevalie and Neal Marean $50
Deborah F. & Thomas S. Coward $100
Anonymous $50
Patrick & Sharon Lee $100
In memory of Laurence S. Allen, Sr. and Lou F. (Allen) Nichols from Beverly, Missy, Larry, Donna & Lonnie Allen $50
In memory of Mom & Pop Perry from Beverly, Missy & Lonnie Allen $50
Merry Christmas! Susan & David Haynes $100
TOTAL TO DATE: 140,380.50
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