By: Emily Mathews, Development and Public Relations Associate
Would you keep an old, tattered shirt that’s 5 sizes too big? One loving mother shared with us why her daughter chooses to. This is their story:
“I am connecting with you today to share a picture and my words of thanks. Yesterday I found myself unpacking a box of a few of my daughter’s clothes. In the box of cute little dresses we packed away for her daughter to wear someday I found the item of clothing most cherished by my daughter—the t-shirt that celebrated the 150 Birthday of the Children’s Home. At the age of 5, she left her former home by train and made her way across the state to Poughkeepsie. At the age of 7, she was ready to come to her new foster home. Our home. Her caseworker brought many bags of oversized clothes labeled with her initials. As I was unpacking her clothes that first day, I pulled out one of the t-shirts. “You don’t want to save this t-shirt, do you? Especially since it is 5 times too big and stained with brown stains all over the front.” I quickly watched her emotions change to sadness as she clung on to the shirt and began to tell me the stories.
Little did I know that this was her nightshirt. On the nights that she woke up with scary dreams a caring staff would have milk and cookies with her. My daughter wore that shirt until it was so worn from being washed that I told her I was afraid that if we washed it one more time it would be ruined. She asked that I would never throw it away. After unpacking the box yesterday I shared with her the treasure that I found. Immediately it brought back for her the memories of cookies and milk and the love and care that the staff at the Children’s Home showed her.”
“Thank you for creating my daughter’s priceless possession – a t-shirt stained with cookies and love.”
Next year marks the 175th Anniversary of the Children’s Home. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating 175 years of healing
& hope, cookies and love!
