Friends of Foster Kids - 2026 Community Challenge!

On New Year’s Day 2006, Theresa Toia sat at the kitchen table with her family when her daughter—a caseworker for the Department of Health and Human Services—shared that, for the second year in a row, not one child on her caseload had received a Christmas gift.

That moment lit a spark.

Theresa made a promise: no child in foster care should feel forgotten during the holidays. That promise became Friends of Foster Kids (FOFK).

That first year, with help from family and friends, Theresa brought holiday joy to 47 foster children. As the effort grew, so did the impact—moving from her living room into donated spaces, and eventually into a permanent home on Celeste Drive in Shelby Township. Today, FOFK serves foster youth in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne Counties, delivering thousands of personalized gifts each Christmas with the help of hundreds of volunteers.

But FOFK’s work continues year-round.

We respond to emergency needs with clothing, shoes, coats, pajamas, and hygiene items—often within 24 hours of removal. For older youth transitioning to independence, we provide household essentials to support a safe start.

We also support major milestones. Our Hats Off to Grads program honors high school graduates with dorm and career essentials, while our Prom and Homecoming events ensure foster teens can enjoy these special moments with confidence. To support their long-term success, our growing scholarship and youth  mentoring  program helps open doors to college and career opportunities.

What began as one small promise has become a year-round mission to help foster youth feel seen, supported, and hopeful for the future.