Comfort Cases Bring Foster Children Comfort and More

It’s a unique concept. Provide foster children with a backpack full of items to call their own. Why? According to Rob Chasteen-Scheer, Founder of “Comfort Cases,” children who enter foster homes rarely arrive with anything more than a trash bag of clothes, if that. Comfort Cases include the basics, such as toiletries, socks, underwear, pajamas and blankets. But the packs are also filled with crayons, coloring books, diaries and toys. Says Chasteen-Scheer, who was in foster care as a child, “We want them to receive something that comforts them, something of their own. We want them to realize how important they are. With the staggering number of children that enter the foster care system, we as a community can make a difference while they are on their journey.”

Comfort Cases recently launched a Virginia Chapter, thanks to teen Emily Stevens and her mother, Terri Aufmuth. The Virginia Chapter was chosen as Sterling Women Manassas’s January Nonprofit of the Month. Emily and Terri are passionate about Comfort Cases and recently answered some questions about their involvement with what Sterling Women Manassas calls “a sterling nonprofit.”

How did you get involved with Comfort Cases?

Emily: I saw it on Facebook. My mom went to school with Rob Scheer, who founded Comfort Cases after being a foster child. I was moved by his story and the story of his children and knew it was time to act.

Terri: My classmate, Rob, was in foster care. I had no idea at the time. Until we were “friends” on Facebook, I had no knowledge of Comfort Cases, but once I learned about it, I knew there was a need in my hometown, and we could fill it.

What most attracted you to Comfort Cases?

Emily: Children need to be valued. They need to know they are important and not just a by-product of a circumstance. They are often given a trash bag to put what they own in. That is wrong. No one should be reduced to a trash bag. Everyone is worth more than that. Comfort Cases lets children know they are important and we care.

Terri: Children are a “hot-button” for me. They have no choice of the situation they are in. It does take a village. We needed to step up.

What do you think is the number one benefit Comfort Cases provides?

Emily: A sense of comfort and caring to children entering a tough time. We let them know they matter, we care and they are important. Kids need to know they are loved.

Terri: Ditto Emily’s answer.

What do you think makes Comfort Cases successful?

Emily: Community involvement. The local community has been instrumental is donating and participating in Comfort Cases packing parties. Without our community, we would not be able to provide the cases. We are so grateful!

Terri: Community and the business and club community have moved this initiative forward. We are successful because of our community and the fact they care.

If you had only ten seconds to explain Comfort Cases, how would you do it?

Emily: We care, you are important and we want to make sure you know it!

Terri: Children need to know they have a place, time and value. They are important. Their circumstances do not define them. Rise on!

How did you get involved with Sterling Women Manassas?

Emily: My mom went to a meeting and Comfort Cases was contacted as a potential nonprofit beneficiary. We are grateful for them allowing us to share our story.

Terri: God love Susan Jacobs – saw her Facebook post, decided to check it out.

Anything else you would like people to know about Comfort Cases?

Emily: We have an upcoming packing party where the community can come and help assemble cases on March 28 at Linton Hall School from 10 a.m. to noon. We are currently looking for donations of items to fill cases. We are also looking for groups (church, scouts, teens, sporting groups) to hold donation drives. We need the items to pack cases.

For more information on Comfort Cases, visit www.ComfortCases.org. To find out more on how to help, email [email protected].