MIAMI COUNTY — The Seeds of Hope nonprofit connects foster and kinship parents to resources beyond car seats and diapers.

Kristy Inoa and Katie Vasil, both of Troy, have a passion to support foster parents or relatives who take on family members in need.

Inoa and Vasil joined forces with Inoa’s foster care experience and Vasil’s drive to help foster families before becoming a foster mom herself soon after.

Inoa has fostered 20 children for more than five years and Vasil is new in the foster care journey with two recent placements.

Seeds of Hope was born out of a presentation Vasil attended that highlighted the fact some foster care families won’t take a child due to financial “barriers” like car seats, cribs, high chairs and other often expensive, yet essential items.

“It’s already hard enough so gathering the ‘stuff’ is the easy part,” Vasil said.

Two years ago, Seeds of Hope quickly grew out of home operations and moved to the Stouder Center on Wayne Street in Troy. Clothes sorted by age and season line the room. Cribs, mattresses, bouncers and even brand new car seats donated by Piqua’s Evenflo are ready to be claimed by families. Diapers, wipes, and even shampoo and toothpaste are also available at the present time.

“The whole concept is for foster families to know ‘I can keep doing this with this layer of support,’” Iona said.

Seeds of Hope relies on donations to help with the rent and purchasing supplies the nonprofit may not have at hand. Seeds of Hope opens its doors to families to shop for items they need as well as gather essential items when children are placed in homes with little to nothing with them. The speed of placement is often within hours and Seeds of Hope will gather all the essential items for the families to pick up from their shop, soon after the child is placed in their care.

The need for homes open to receiving children in various critical situations is a lot higher than one thinks, Vasil shared. The pair said there were recently four children within 48 hours who were in need of a home as agencies went through their lists.

Together, with the help of the community, 1,000 Miami Valley children have benefited from Seeds of Hope, whether they were placed in foster care or in the care of the extended family which is called kinship care. The organization also hosts events for foster families to gather and share their trials and celebrations of opening their homes to those in need. The lack of social support stemming from the unique obstacles of raising foster children was another barrier the pair has sought to assist with as well.

“It’s a different bond,” Vasil said. “There are things that I can only talk about with other foster families that only they’ll understand.”

Vasil said sharing with other families the ups and downs of foster care have been welcomed by local families who join them for ice cream, playtime and other events they plan on hosting in the future.

The organization accepts donations of new or gently used clothing for newborns up to teens. They also have an Amazon wish list. Donations are accepted on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The duo is always willing to share their story of how Seeds of Hope started and its mission to help families in foster or kinship care. The 501-3c non-profit will open its doors from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 8 to allow visitors to tour their site and learn more about how they coordinate not only supplies but support for foster parents. Seeds of Hope is located in the Stouder Center, 1100 Wayne St., Troy, in Suite 110, in the back of the building.

For more information, contact Seeds of Hope at [email protected] or online at www.SeedsofHopeOH.org