Joy BoX Foster Closet

05/30/2026

As Foster Care Awareness Month comes to a close, we want to share that this isn’t just a cause we advocate for—it’s something that completely changed our lives.

Foster care is often viewed through the lens of loss, and yes, there is a great deal of that. But there is also beauty. Hope. Healing. Second chances. Unexpected forever families.

This month, I’m not just celebrating awareness—I’m celebrating them. The JBX in Joy BoX. The children and families who are the heart of our mission and the reason behind everything we do.

Our goal is to continue spreading awareness, supporting foster families, assisting kinship placements, and helping ensure that children in care have the things they need—and sometimes the things they simply want.

And if I could say one thing to anyone considering fostering, it would be this:

You may think you're changing a child's life, but don't be surprised when they completely change yours. 💕

We want to thank everyone who has donated, shared, or volunteered with the Joy BoX. We are looking forward to our upcoming projects and continuing to serve children in foster care!

— Heather

05/27/2026

Okay friends… we need HELP 😅

KeyBank has generously volunteered to come paint the Joy BoX space for us, but before that can happen, we need to move shelves, storage bins, and basically everything away from the walls so we can prep the space.

Usually we’re looking for volunteers to sort and organize donations, but this time we could really use some extra muscle 💪

If you’ve ever said “let me know if you need anything,” this is your moment 😂

We’d love help:
📅 Friday evening
📅 Monday during the day

This would be perfect for a youth group, sports team, scout troop, church group, or honestly anyone willing to help us move heavy things around for a couple hours.

Comment below or tag someone who might be interested 💛

05/21/2026

Last week we had the chance to stop by Archer's Book Lounge to pick up their donation check, and we left even more excited for what they are bringing to our community 💙

Not only did they choose to support Joy BoX Foster Closet through their fundraiser, but they are creating such a fun and welcoming space for Monroe. After getting a little tour, we can already tell this is going to be somewhere people love spending time.

Coffee, drinks, books, games, community events, cozy spaces to hang out… it’s going to be such a cool addition to Monroe, and you can really see how much heart is going into it already.

We are so grateful for their support and kindness toward the kids and families we serve. Supporting local businesses that pour back into the community matters, and Archer’s is already doing exactly that before they’ve even officially opened their doors.

Go give their page a follow so you can watch everything come together—we seriously cannot wait to visit once they open 🩷

05/20/2026

💛 Community Help Needed!

We’re getting ready to paint the Joy BoX space, and thanks to an incredible group of volunteers from KeyBank, that project is officially happening!

Before the painting can start though, we need help getting the space ready. That means moving shelves away from the walls, shifting storage, and prepping the space so the volunteers can get to work.

Usually we’re asking for help sorting and organizing donations, but this time we could really use some extra muscle too 💪

We’re hoping to find volunteers who could help on:
📅 Friday, May 29
📅 Monday, June 1

This would be PERFECT for:
• Older Boy Scout troops
• Youth groups
• Church groups
• Sports teams
• Anyone willing to lend a hand

If you’re able to help, or know a group that might be interested, comment below or tag them here! We would be so grateful. 💛

05/12/2026

Every opened donation bag is filled with suspense… and we couldn’t be more grateful! 🧡💙🩷

05/11/2026

Help us choose 👀🎨

Joy BoX Foster Closet is getting a little makeover and we need YOUR help picking our new paint color!

We’ve got volunteers coming in to refresh our space with new paint, shelving, flooring, and a few updates to help us better serve kids in foster care, kinship care, and families in need.

Which color feels the most warm, welcoming, and “Joy BoX” to you?

Drop your favorite in the comments ⬇️

We’re so excited to give this space the love it deserves and can’t wait to show you the transformation ✨

05/09/2026

May is Foster Care Awareness Month 💙

Behind every number is a child.

A child navigating fear, change, uncertainty, and often loss. A child who deserves safety, comfort, and to know they are deeply loved.

Last year, 331,747 children were in foster care, with more than 501,745 children served by the system throughout the year.

67,249+ children are currently waiting to be adopted.

Nearly 15,000 young people age out of foster care each year without a permanent family connection.

These numbers are heartbreaking—but they also remind us how much community matters.

At Joy BoX Foster Closet, our mission is to help lighten the load for children in foster care, kinship care, and families in need by providing clothing, essentials, and comfort items when they matter most.

Sometimes something as simple as pajamas, shoes that fit, a toothbrush, or a stuffed animal can remind a child that they are seen, safe, and worthy of joy.

Not everyone is called to foster—but everyone can do something.

You can support foster families.
You can help kinship caregivers.
You can volunteer.
You can donate.
You can pray.
You can show up.

Because every child deserves more than survival—they deserve joy.

05/06/2026

We are SO close to 500 shares!!

Help us get there—please keep sharing!

We are sitting at 473 shares, and every single one helps spread the word, support local businesses, and most importantly, helps us continue serving children entering foster and kinship care.

We are incredibly grateful for this community and how quickly everyone has rallied behind this. Seeing people show up, share, and give back reminds us just how special this community truly is.

A huge thank you to Archer's Book Lounge for choosing to support Joy BoX and for creating something so special for our community. We are so excited to visit when you open—what an amazing space this is going to be for families, kids, and book lovers alike.

And of course, thank you to Wiens & Roth Real Estate for always believing in this mission and continuing to show up for local families in such meaningful ways.

This community is the village, and we are so thankful to be part of it. 🧡🩷💙

Read to the end! Please Share!

One of the goals with Archer's Book Lounge is to impact our community. Giving to those in need is important to the mission of being a part of Monroe.

Joy BoX Foster Closet is a relatively new non profit but their impact is already huge.

Foster children are often placed in a home with only the clothes on their back and nothing more. Joy BoX Foster Closet provides an opportunity for these children to find some special things from toys, games, clothes and more to help brighten what can be such a scary time in their lives.

We have decided that instead of spending more money on ads during phase 2 of our Kickstarter we are giving that ad money to a charity in need.

*For every SHARE THAT THIS POST GETS, we will donate $1, up to $250, to Joy BoX Foster Closet to purchase new books to add to their foster closet!

**For every share over 250, Wiens & Roth Real Estate will donate $1 up to $250.

If we reach 500 shares, Joy BoX will receive $500 to purchase books!

Let's GO! SHARE! SHARE! SHARE!

Follow our Kickstarter at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/alainanw/archers-book-lounge?ref=69zr3h to see the exciting rewards and to follow the crowdfunding process!

05/04/2026

Another Joy BoX heading out this week, this one for an 11-year-old girl 💛

At an age where everything already feels big, entering foster or kinship care can make the world feel even heavier.

Sometimes it’s the smallest things. Clean clothes, a comfort item, toiletries of her own. Things that help remind a child they are safe and cared for.

Thank you for helping us provide that reminder.

05/04/2026

We are so thankful for Archer's Book Lounge and their heart for our community 💙

As a brand new local business, they are working hard to build something special here in Monroe, and the fact that they chose to support Joy BoX Foster Closet in the middle of that means so much to us.

They have decided to give back through their Kickstarter by donating for every share of their post—helping us purchase books for children entering foster and kinship care. Books bring comfort, distraction, routine, and joy during some really hard moments, and this support will directly impact the kids we serve.

We would love for our community to rally behind them the same way they are rallying behind us. Please take a moment to share their original post, support their Kickstarter, and show some love to a small business that is choosing to make a difference from day one.

A huge thank you as well to Wiens & Roth Real Estate for stepping in to match donations beyond 250 shares and helping make an even bigger impact for the children we serve. Support like this is what makes our community so special.

Supporting local businesses that pour back into our community matters. We’re cheering them on and so grateful to be part of this with them 🩷

Read to the end! Please Share!

One of the goals with Archer's Book Lounge is to impact our community. Giving to those in need is important to the mission of being a part of Monroe.

Joy BoX Foster Closet is a relatively new non profit but their impact is already huge.

Foster children are often placed in a home with only the clothes on their back and nothing more. Joy BoX Foster Closet provides an opportunity for these children to find some special things from toys, games, clothes and more to help brighten what can be such a scary time in their lives.

We have decided that instead of spending more money on ads during phase 2 of our Kickstarter we are giving that ad money to a charity in need.

*For every SHARE THAT THIS POST GETS, we will donate $1, up to $250, to Joy BoX Foster Closet to purchase new books to add to their foster closet!

**For every share over 250, Wiens & Roth Real Estate will donate $1 up to $250.

If we reach 500 shares, Joy BoX will receive $500 to purchase books!

Let's GO! SHARE! SHARE! SHARE!

Follow our Kickstarter at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/alainanw/archers-book-lounge?ref=69zr3h to see the exciting rewards and to follow the crowdfunding process!