Do you know someone who has recently became a foster parent, or is going through the adoption process?  Do you need some ideas for gifts to give?  Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Gift cards to a variety of retail stores (Foster families often take children in a “moment’s notice”, and may need to run out and grab a car seat, clothing, and other essentials for taking care of children.)
• Gender neutral items (Even though a family has a preference for gender, sometimes they are selected or called about a child of the opposite gender.)
• Gift cards to restaurants, zoo passes, movie tickets, or other entertainment venues.  Sometimes, actually often, a two parent home with no children instantly turns into a two parent home with three children.  Eating out, going to the movies and other forms of family entertainment can get expensive with a large family.)
• Picture frames and scrap-booking materials (Foster families are asked to keep a Lifebook for each child in their care.  A Lifebook is essentially a scrapbook of the child’s life before foster care and while in care.)
• Children’s hygiene necessities (Often, families are bombarded with clothing, toys, and other nice gifts, but they may not have a supply of pediatric fever reducers, pain medicines, toothbrushes/toothpaste, or other hygiene products.)
• Photography Packages (Professional photography can get expensive.  Consider going in with other friends/family members and purchasing a photography session.  It is a wonderful moment when newly adopted children become part of the family portraits, and is a “rite of passage” of sorts.)
• Foster Care and Adoption resource books (Families may need to read and learn about a variety of challenges they might face.  Reading is a great way to learn from the experience of others.)

One of my favorite gifts after adopting my oldest son (our first adoption) is pictured below.  My co-workers purchased it for me.  It meant so much because they prayed for our journey as foster parents.  They prayed for our son’s “case”.  They prayed for our son.  Gifts like this one can mean so much for a family who is starting a family or expanding a family through foster care and adoption.

Do you have any other ideas?  If so, please share!