New Group Seeks to Aid Foster Kids

The East Valley Tribune, February 8, 2010 by Andre Bowser 

Deborah Jacobus knows in her heart that her late mother somehow will be there when Helen's Hope Chest opens for business after its dedication ceremonies on Saturday.

And foster mother Liz Drury, who has seen traumatized children arrive at her east Mesa home with only the clothes on their backs, said the unique facility can't open soon enough.Named after Jacobus' mother, Helen Simmons, a foster child herself, Helen's Hope Chest turns a shuttered city housing office in the former Escobedo Housing Project into the ultimate thrift shop for Mesa's more than 500 foster children.

"It's such a blessing to us. It helps so much," Drury said. "They come with just the clothes on their backs, nothing else. They need a whole wardrobe right away."

Faced with the arrival of two boys and a girl, all siblings and severely in need of clothing, Drury called the Mesa United Way and was able to get what the children needed even before Helen's Hope Chest opened.

"I don't know of another organization helping foster parents like this," she said.

For foster parents, Helen's Hope Chest couldn't open at a better time, with the state clothing allowance reduced to $12 a month for each child because of budget cuts.

Mesa United Way has been collecting clothing for the children for months, storing them at St. Luke's Lutheran Church and four other locations, including garages, until they could find a location to operate Helen's Hope Chest.

Initially, the hope was to find empty retail space in a shopping center to rent for at least three years for a nominal fee, but when no property owners stepped forward, the city solved the problem by renting the empty house to Mesa United Way for $1 a year, said Carol McCormack, executive director.

"It's a great public-private partnership. Government is cutting back, and the community is stepping forward, " she said.

Although McCormack was disappointed when no property owners donated space, "I'm thrilled the city did. In a way, I think this should work out better," she said.

U.S. Sen. John McCain, who happens to be Deborah Jacobus' boss, will speak at the 11:30 a.m. dedication ceremonies along with Arizona House Speaker Kirk Adams, R-Mesa, and Mesa Mayor Scott Smith.

"I think it's the way to use our resources wisely," Smith said. "I think it's exactly how things should happen" to serve the public in two different ways.

Foster children will be able to pick out the clothing they like for free, and Mesa puts blighted public property to use, deterring potential crime, he said. The project has been closed for 1½ years.

"It lowers the crime and lowers the maintenance requirements" by having Mesa United Way renovate the former housing office and having people in an area that otherwise is all but abandoned.

Helen's Hope Chest is at 415 N. Pasadena, directly across University Drive from the Mesa United Way. It will be open by appointment only by calling Janine McKay, Helen's Hope Chest coordinator, at (480) 969-8601.

"It's more than we could have ever dreamed," said Jacobus, who was looking for a way to honor her mother when she heard about the clothing program and set up a meeting with McCormack. "I still tear up talking to you about it."

Helen Simmons was a foster child in the 1930s. She lived with the same family for years but never was adopted. Jacobus said that disappointment over that fact seemed to damage her mother's self-worth, but still kept her family together through difficult times.

McCormack said volunteers have spent hundreds of hours renovating the 4,200-square foot building, which has 16 rooms and a garage that comes in handy for donors to drop off gently used clothes and where volunteers can sort them out.

Jacobus and her sister have donated a washer and dryer where the volunteers wash the clothes if necessary before putting them out on shelves. The clothing is displayed in different rooms by age and gender.

"The idea is, for foster parents and children, it's like a nice consignment shop," McCormack said.

McCormack is trying to make the shop as cozy and inviting as possible. Volunteer Melanie Brown drew a mural of a tree and painted some colorful vertical stripes in a hallway to try to make a building that was shuttered until December more inviting.

"It's been a generous outpouring from the community," McKay said.

Volunteers from a Rotary Club cleaned out the building, free paint was donated by The Color Wheel and free flooring was donated by Floors and More, and couches were donated by Sunshine Acres, an east Mesa orphanage.

Additional donated clothing is always welcome, especially items for teenaged boys, McCormack said. One room is devoted to school uniforms alone.

"I totally believe my mom will be there," Jacobus said.