Foster the Love
Louisiana

Foster the Love Louisiana is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, based in Lafayette, created to provide support and resources for the local foster community.

Foster the Love has partnered with Louisiana’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Lafayette Parish School System, local CASA and other community organizations in providing for children and families involved in foster care in Acadiana.

Foster the Love has a Community Closet that provides new and gently used clothing, shoes, baby equipment, and bedroom furniture to families. Our First Nights Program provides overnight bags to Region 5 DCFS offices, so that children entering care will have their basic hygiene and clothing essential needs met. We are also expanding this program to provide meals for foster families when they receive a new placement. We host TBRI® Fridays in our area each month for foster parents, DCFS workers and anyone interested in learning more about the effects of trauma. We are also working to facilitate local business involvement through our Community Collaborators program.

We are working with local organizations and institutions to create a collaborative coalition that develops a comprehensive, solutions-based approach in serving all those involved in the child welfare system.

As we continue to grow, we are looking to expand into a location that will house our Community Closet and donation center and that will serve as a multi-purpose community center. Our community center will include meeting rooms for child/family visitations, educational events, and life-skills training for teens in care.

We are honored to be a part of the Louisiana Fosters community, working together with organizations across the state to create programs to serve society’s most vulnerable and their caregivers.

-Heather Duhon, Executive Director, Foster the Love Louisiana

For more information on how to be involved and to access the list of resources available to foster families please visit www.fosterthelovela.org