Free store opens at Cobb County church to give Georgia foster families much-needed support

A new free store for foster families has opened up at an East Cobb church.

Ignite Hope Chest's founders created a space based on what they once needed when they were foster parents.

"I was in foster care in another country. I was then adopted into America. My sister was also adopted," founder Jacqui Jackson said.

She and her husband, Jeff Jackson, always felt called to give back to kids with similar stories.

"Our two oldest kids are adopted. Our son was fostered for us in another state," Jacqui Jackson said.

Soon, that outreach expanded from just their family.

"We were feeling not a call to just help one child but to help many children and many families," she said.

That's where the Ignite Hope Chest was born.

"We realized there are a lot of families like ours that needed a voice and needed support and needed just to know that they weren't walking it out alone," Jacqui Jackson said.

"When DFACS calls and says, 'We have a sibling group of three, and they're 2, 4, and 6 years old,' and your kids are 19 and 20, you don't have clothes sitting around for those kids," said Jeff Jackson.

Now, families can come to the North Metro Church on Sewell Mill Road to pick out what they need.

"We could literally create a shopping space for people to come. Clothes are put on the rack by size. This is the girls, this is the boys," Jeff said.

"We house back-to-school supplies, coats, car seats," Jacqui said.

All resources the Jacksons know firsthand can help a foster family.

The Jacksons aim to expand their Ignite Hope Chest stores to more parts of Georgia by next year to help more families. They're always accepting donations.