'Definitely Dehumanizing:' Students Help Foster Children Feel Loved
By Joel Hillan
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. (CBS4) - It started three years ago as a simple fundraising dodgeball game for a class at Campus Middle School in Greenwood Village.
"I've played all three years, and it's always been really fun," said one 8th grader.
The game has now turned into a school-wide movement to help kids in Colorado's foster care system.
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"They have plastic trash bags instead of actual backpacks, and they have barely anything to bring through the foster care system," said 7th grader Yolia Solomon.
As foster kids are shuffled from home to home, it is common for them to move what little they have in big black trash bags.
"That's definitely dehumanizing. It's not good at all, especially when you are in that sort of situation, it doesn't feel good as a kid," said 8th grader Emma Bernard.
So, with the money raised from the dodgeball tournament, the students, with some help and guidance of caring teachers, joined the movement to create so-called comfort bags.
"Our goal was only to do 50, and we ended up doing like 200, so that was really surprising, and this year we'll have over 600 backpacks," said 8th grader Andrey Silva.
The backpacks are filled with everything they might need when they travel from home-to-home, including toiletries, school supplies and even toys and games.
Also found in each bag is a note, to let the child receiving it know that someone is looking out for them.
"I hope these kids feel happy when they receive them," said 8th grader Emily Gerken.
"I just want them to know that people care and do want the best for them, and that they're going to get out of their problems, and they are going to have a great life. They just need a little extra support, so I just want them to know that everyone on campus is with them right now," said Isabella Garamova.
The Cherry Creek School District says so many of these comfort bags were donated they were able to give bags to not just Denver, but surrounding cities as well.
Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.