When Ryan and Suzan Brown become licensed foster parents in September 2010 they knew providing kids a secure, loving home would require both an emotional and financial commitment.

So far the Gilbert couple have been foster parents to seven children - currently a baby boy. They say they’ve learned a lot along the way, including how to stretch the state’s $12 monthly clothing allowance. They solved that challenge when they discovered Helen’s Hope Chest, a Mesa United Way project that provides clothing, books, school supplies and toys free of charge to foster children.

“We were referred to Helen’s Hope Chest by our licensing agency,” said Suzan. “Being a foster parent can be a lonely experience, but the people at Helen’s Hope Chest understand.”

“They make it a special experience,” said Ryan. “They don’t want foster children relegated to ill-fitting second-hand clothes. They make a big deal of the relationship. They honor the child and the foster parents - make them feel special.”

But keeping Helen’s Hope Chest stocked with good quality clothing and supplies is an ongoing challenge. Ryan persuaded the other four members of his country rock band, the Tractor Pull Divas, to do a benefit performance in downtown Mesa in May, Foster Care Month, and posted information about Helen’s Hope Chest on the band’s website.

The Tractor Pull Divas has been a sideline of Ryan’s for years but the band’s growing popularity - they’ve performed at the Tempe Music Festival and Block Party as well as other public events - convinced him to use that visibility to support worthy causes like Helen’s Hope Chest.

Ryan, whose day job involves working with non-profit agencies, said he and Suzan also want to raise awareness about the need for foster parents. There are more than 10,000 foster children in Arizona and there is an ongoing need for licensed foster homes.

When children are taken from their birth parents due to abuse, neglect or other serious problems, it’s crucial that they be placed in foster homes where they feel secure and loved, Ryan said.

Arizona’s child-protection policy emphasizes reunification of families when feasible after children are removed by Child Protective Services. That typically involves counseling and parenting classes for birth parents, and in some cases contact with the foster parents who are taking care of their children.

“There are stereotypes about foster care, like being a foster parent is too hard or the birth parents are really bad people,” said Suzan. “You get a whole new perspective when you get to know the birth parents. They love their children, and most of them are trying to get back on track.”

Being part of that process of providing a safe haven for children while working with the birth parents and case workers toward the goal of healing and reunifying the biological family is gratifying, they said.

“It’s tough when you say good-bye after you’ve become attached to these kids,” said Ryan. “But we know we’ve made a positive difference in their lives. That’s a good feeling.”

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