Kate Howes, Herald Correspondent
Nov 14, 2022
CLINTON – Liz Estilow has seen the terror in a 3-year-old’s eyes when they are taken from the only home they’ve ever known and put in the care of a complete stranger.
Some of them leave with only the clothes they have on, unable to take any of their own personal belongings.
For those who never have had experience with the foster care system, it’s difficult to imagine such a scenario.
However, as someone who worked in the child-welfare system for eight years, Estilow has seen it happen many times.
Seven years ago, she made the decision to create a program to help such children and ease what is often a frightening transition.
“I decided that we needed to do something for our local children going into foster, adoptive or relative placement,” Estilow related. “We did not have any kind of program in the community that took care of the most basic needs for these children at such a traumatic time in their lives.”
So, she founded the My G.E.A.R. Outreach program. “G.E.A.R.” stands for, to “Give” the hope of Jesus, to “Equip” with the most basic needs, to promote “Acceptance” and to “Restore” relationships in the community.
The program provides children going into foster, adoptive or relative placement with a 32-inch, wheeled duffle bag full of comforting essentials, including new pajamas, socks, underwear, pillows, pillow cases, blankets, toys, stuffed animals, crayons, pencils, pens and journals.
The program serves Clinton, Dubuque and Jackson counties in Iowa, and Carroll, Lee and Whiteside counties in Illinois.
The bags are for children ages 0-18 years old and are packed with supplies appropriate for their ages and genders.
These children, she noted, are all around us and need love and reassurance.
“Unless your world’s been impacted (by foster care), you probably don’t think about these kids,” Estilow shared. “But they are in your schools and in your city parks. We hope to shine some hope for these kids, and when they look back on their experiences someday, they can remember their communities tried to support them.”
The My G.E.A.R. founder and director said they have been fortunate to receive funding from a number of sources. The group has asked for churches to sponsor the program and have received grant money and private donations. One donation, given anonymously by a Clinton County resident, was for $15,000.
“We have several people who donate monthly,” she said. “Last year, instead of buying each other Christmas gifts, a family decided to donate money to a charity and we were chosen. We’ve had kids run lemonade stands, and people have garage sales and donate their proceeds to us. We really have an awesome community. People are great to us. We’ve never had to purchase a pillow case … they’re all handmade. We got a $1,000 check from the Round-Up at Randy’s Neighborhood Market, in DeWitt.”
People can donate via PayPal or Venmo on the program website, www.mygearoutreach.org, or email Estilow at mygearoutreach@yahoo.com. All the money donated stays to benefit local communities.
Running the My G.E.A.R. program is something Estilow does in addition to working as the recruiter and training coordinator for Four Oaks Family Connections.
According to its website, Four Oaks’ mission is to “recruit and retain nurturing and diverse foster and adoptive families to keep children safe from further trauma and assist them in their transition to permanency.”
She said the demand for more foster or respite families is bigger than ever.
“We are in great need throughout the whole state for more loving and stable homes,” Estilow shared. “This is happening. We need good, loving homes to support these children. There’s so much need; but, if we all team up together, it will all work out. We need to get as many people as possible involved in the adoption and foster care world.”
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