CLEARFIELD – REST Inc., a newly-formed non-profit charitable organization in Clearfield County, recently received a Walmart Local Community Grant from the Clearfield Walmart.
This grant is in support of REST’s Comfort Box Program, a flagship program, which provides bundles of necessities for children being taken into emergency custody by kinship/grandparent caregivers.
These Comfort Boxes are intended to ease such a transition for both the caregiver and the children involved.
According to REST Inc. Founder Bobbie Johnson, “[w]hen kinship caregivers step in to assume emergency custody of children, they often only have two to four hours to prepare, if that.
“While their hearts are in the right place, they may not have items they need right away to help with the transition.
“And, as many are informal kinship caregivers, they are not paid for providing this care like formal licensed foster care providers.
“That’s where a REST Comfort Box comes in and we are so grateful for this support from Josh Kunkle and our Clearfield WalMart store.”
“Boxes” used for this project are typically helpful items like a bouncy seat or bassinet for newborns or small laundry baskets for older children.
Then, each “box” is filled with age-appropriate items needed to care for a particular child. For instance, a newborn Comfort Box would include diapers, wipes, undershirts, crib sheets, bottles, pacifiers, bibs, toiletries and infant medicine, wrapped up in an infant “bouncy” seat.
For older children, a small laundry basket is filled with a pillow, blanket, clothes hangers, pillowcases, towels, and a variety of gift cards to meet the specific clothing and toiletry needs of the child.
Each box also includes a health record booklet for the caregiver. Any informal kinship caregiver/grandparent in our region, who assumes custody of a child/grandchild, is encouraged to reach out to REST Inc., as soon as custody is taken to benefit from this program and other services.
REST Inc. can be reached at 814-762-2933 or by visiting www.restfamilies.org. Any community members or businesses interested in donating to this program can reach out via e-mail to bobbie@restfamilies.org.