Helen’s Hope Chest, A Valuable Arizona Charity

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Helen’s Hope Chest is a Mesa, Arizona charity that provides clothing, school uniforms and toiletries and books to foster children in the area. In 2009, state budget cuts reduced clothing allowances, creating a need for children in foster families, so the United Way began collecting used clothing to donate to foster families.

In 2010, Helen’s Hope Chest was opened to support the growing need for clothing and other items in foster families. The city of Mesa, Arizona donated a warehouse with over 4,000 sq. ft to house the new store. Inside the warehouse are rooms filled with infants, children, and teen’s clothing. Some rooms are filled with books and school supplies, while other have sports equipment and toys. The goal was to make the warehouse like any other store, so that children can feel like they are really shopping. Each child can pick out five outfits at several times throughout the year.

Children who visit Helen’s Hope Closet leave the store with a sense of confidence. The clothes are in good shape, with many name brands available that kids like and will wear, all generously donated by groups and individuals. Some children come to the store with only the clothes they are wearing and nothing else. The store offers these families with foster children hope.

Helen’s Hope Chest honors a woman named Helen Simmons. Helen had been in foster care in the 1930’s and had never been fully adopted by a family. She lived for many years, with her brother Walter, struggling in the foster home and being teased at school for the hand me downs she and her brother wore. Helen passed away in 2009, so her family, along with the United Way, has taken the charge to make sure Helen’s life has been memorialized with the opening of Helen’s Hope Chest.