A trash bag should never be a child’s suitcase… 

Our 2023 Orangetheory Bridgeport fundraising goal is $4,050.  This will put 90 Comfort Cases into the hands of children entering or moving through the West Virginia foster care system.  

THE COST OF A COMFORT CASE: $45

At Orangetheory Bridgeport we have the most positive and loving community that is committed to more life. This is an incredible opportunity to bring a smile to a child’s face, and to make a meaningful difference by providing hope and love to the lives of West Virginia children in crisis.

In West Virginia, there are 6,179 youth currently in foster care (DHHR Child Welfare Dashboard, as of October 30, 2023). The number of youth in foster care continues to rise year after year with West Virginia having one of the highest rates of youth in foster care in our country.

These youth, who have often been neglected and let down by the adults in their life, should not have to start their foster care journey with a sense of hopelessness and worthlessness by being handed a trash bag.

We should not ask them to carry their belongings in bags that the rest of us use for trash. Also, we should not expect them to essentially use a “stranger’s” bar of soap and toiletries on the first day they meet. Unfortunately, this is the experience of West Virginia youth in foster care every day.

Comfort Cases aims to eliminate the demoralizing practice of placing children in homes with their belongings in trash bags.

Comfort Cases is a nonprofit, founded in 2013, whose mission is to inspire communities to bring dignity and hope to youth in foster care through Comfort, Community, Character and Compassion. They do this by providing each of the thousands of youth entering the foster care system in West Virginia with Comfort Cases. Comfort Cases are backpacks with comfort and personal care items for the first few days in which youth enter foster care. The cases are age- and gender-specific bags with the following comfort and personal care items: pajamas, blankets, socks, toiletries, journals, books, pens, coloring books, crayons, and stuffed animals.

And WE can help support this amazing effort not only through monetary donations but by coming together to pack Comfort Cases for youth in foster care in our area. This is where we can put our hands and heart towards the community effort by choosing the actual Comfort items and placing them in the backpack.

If you are interested in helping us pack Comfort Cases, please contact the studio front desk for more information. We will pack cases on December 9th at the Bridgeport studio from 12:30-1:30PM, and at the Morgantown studio from 3:30-4:30PM. On December 16th, we will pack cases at the Charleston studio from 12:30-1:30pm, and at the Barboursville studio from 2:30-3:30pm. 

Your financial donation and/or hands-on contribution is sincerely appreciated.