EmpowHer Enterprises
EmpowHer Enterprises
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Donate
  • Meet the Team
    • Meet the Founder
    • Meet the Team
  • Programs/Initiatives
    • Journey Totes
    • Dream Party Project
    • EmpowHIM
    • Submit a Wish
    • Style Me Successful
    • Beyond The Bookshelf
    • Developmental Workshops
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Community Christmas Party
    • Educational Equity
  • Community/State Programs
  • Volunteers
  • Gallery
  • Matching Gift Donations
  • More
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Donate
    • Meet the Team
      • Meet the Founder
      • Meet the Team
    • Programs/Initiatives
      • Journey Totes
      • Dream Party Project
      • EmpowHIM
      • Submit a Wish
      • Style Me Successful
      • Beyond The Bookshelf
      • Developmental Workshops
    • Events
      • Events Calendar
      • Community Christmas Party
      • Educational Equity
    • Community/State Programs
    • Volunteers
    • Gallery
    • Matching Gift Donations

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Donate
  • Meet the Team
    • Meet the Founder
    • Meet the Team
  • Programs/Initiatives
    • Journey Totes
    • Dream Party Project
    • EmpowHIM
    • Submit a Wish
    • Style Me Successful
    • Beyond The Bookshelf
    • Developmental Workshops
  • Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Community Christmas Party
    • Educational Equity
  • Community/State Programs
  • Volunteers
  • Gallery
  • Matching Gift Donations

Journey TOTES

Journey Tote Suitcases for foster children

About us

Journey Totes aims to provide suitcases filled with age-appropriate personal hygiene items, school supplies, diapers, and clothing to foster youth. We strive to bring comfort, stability, and support to vulnerable children transitioning between homes or foster care placements.


When children enter the foster care system, they often do so with very few personal belongings, and the transition can be incredibly stressful and unsettling. By providing these thoughtfully prepared suitcases, we aim to offer a sense of dignity and care. Each suitcase is packed with essential items tailored to the child's age and needs, ensuring they have the basics to feel clean, comfortable, and ready for school.


Personal hygiene items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo help children maintain their health and well-being. School supplies such as notebooks, pens, and backpacks ensure they are prepared for their education, which is crucial for their development and sense of normalcy. Diapers and clothing provide the necessary comfort and care for younger children, helping foster parents meet their immediate needs.


Our ultimate goal is to create a sense of stability and support during a time of great uncertainty. By collaborating with individuals, companies, and community partners, we can ensure that these children receive the essential items they need to thrive. Journey Totes is more than just a suitcase; it's a symbol of hope and compassion for children who need it most.


Join us in making a difference by helping us provide suitcases, school supplies, toiletries, and other items to a child. No child should have to carry their belongings in a trash bag when moving from home to home. Together, we can create a brighter future for these deserving children.

foster children

The FACTS

The US child welfare system invests less than half of what an average family spends per child. Journey Totes is closing this gap by providing foster youth of all ages with a suitcase full of hope to take with them on their "Journey."


The Facts

  • On any given day there are nearly 438,000 children and youth in foster care.
  • Nearly 110,000 are waiting to be adopted, waiting year after year for their forever home.
  • For children in foster care, the government invests less than 50% of what it costs to raise a child.
  • Any resource, experience or opportunity beyond a basic need is not required to be provided. 
  • Approximately 25,000 youth age out of foster care every year and must be financially and emotionally self-sufficient by as young as 18.

"Our Impact"

Impact Statement:

Providing personalized items in a suitcase to foster children offers more than just material support—it restores dignity, fosters emotional stability, and reinforces a sense of identity during one of the most disruptive moments in a child’s life. Many children entering the foster care system carry their belongings in trash bags, a practice that can feel dehumanizing and traumatic. A thoughtfully packed suitcase filled with age-appropriate clothing, hygiene products, school supplies, and comfort items sends a powerful message: You matter.


This small yet meaningful gesture helps reduce the emotional toll of placement transitions, supports self-care and school readiness, and fosters a sense of normalcy and ownership. Over time, these suitcases serve as an entry point to healing by affirming the child’s worth and connecting them with a broader ecosystem of support. By prioritizing personalization, we not only meet basic needs—we help rewrite the narrative of what it means to be a child in foster care.

suitcases for foster children

Apply for a Journey Tote.

Please click on the link below to apply for a Journey Tote.  We will do our best to fulfill the exact needs of the child.  Due to demand, we can only fill a limited number of Journey Totes monthly.  Journey Totes are filled as we receive requests.  We will do our best to accommodate all requests within the same month or 45-60 days.


For more information, please get in touch with us at journey@empowherinc.org


Apply for a Journey Tote
Donate Clothing

"What can I donate?"

We are all about creating meaningful opportunities to give back that address actual needs. Contact us anytime and we can find the perfect way for you or your group to help.

Items to Donate:


  • New roller suitcase
  • New pajamas
  • Several new comfortable changes of clothes 
  • Gift cards
  • Books
  • Learning Activities
  • New blanket, stuffed animal or other comfort item
  • New shoes
  • Toys, Teddy bear etc...
  • School Supplies
  • New socks & underwear
  • Toiletry kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, brush / comb, deodorant, etc.)

Email
Shop, support and donate

Amazon List

Please consider purchasing an item from our wish list.

Amazon List
Donate School Supplies

Walmart List

Please select items from our Walmart registry.

Walmart Registry

Sponsor a Journey Tote for foster youth

Donate Suitcases

Sponsor & Brand a Suitcase

Sponsor & Brand a Suitcase

Sponsor & Brand a Suitcase

Email us for more information

Sponsor
Donate

Monetary Donations

Sponsor & Brand a Suitcase

Sponsor & Brand a Suitcase

Thank you for your donation!

Donate
foster children together

Become a Foster Parent

Sponsor & Brand a Suitcase

Become a Foster Parent

Every Child Deserves a Loving Home

Information

Our journey in Pictures

    Journey Tote Partners

    Casa of Essex County
    Dress for Success
    • Dress for Success
    • Casa of Essex County
    • Dress for Success
    • Casa of Essex County

    Copyright © 2025 EmpowHer Enterprises Inc - All Rights Reserved.

    • Donate
    • Dream Party Project
    • Shop EmpowHER
    • Community/State Programs
    • Contact Us
    • Speaker Hub
    • Media
    • Matching Gift Donations

    Powered by

    This website uses cookies.

    We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

    DeclineAccept