Catholic Community Foundation Grant Propels Success at Chosen's Family Closets
Wisconsin Eagle/10252592

WEST ALLIS, Wis. - WisconsinEagle -- A $4,000 grant from the Catholic Community Foundation to support the West Allis Family Closet operated by Chosen Inc. ("Chosen") helped propel significant growth in its outreach to foster and adoptive families in 2023.

The funding helped Chosen's West Allis Family Closet, along with a sister operation in Waukesha, experience a significant increase of traffic. Chosen is a non-profit ministry dedicated to supporting and educating about foster and adoptive parenting. Its Family Closets provide free clothing and children's items for foster and adoptive families.

Since receipt of the Catholic Community Foundation grant, the two Family Closets have seen notable upticks in visits and activity:

• Appointments: 24 percent increase
• Number of children served: 5 percent increase
• Number of items gifted to families: 31 percent increase
• Repeat visits, beyond initial appointment: 20 percent increase

"We are tremendously appreciative of the support that Catholic Community Foundation has given Chosen," said Karen Schlindwein (https://www.choseninlove.org/contact/), Vice-President of Education and Development for Chosen (https://www.choseninlove.org/programsoverview). "These numbers detail the very real, positive impact generated by its grant. The Family Closets are a critical component of how Chosen serves foster and adoptive families. We could not do so without generous partners such as the Catholic Community Foundation."

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Dedicated to "Fostering Forever Families," Chosen seeks to educate the public about the impact of adoption and fostering, and provide spiritual, material, and emotional support to families who have chosen these oft-misunderstood paths. Chosen shares resource referrals to other organizations and professionals to help meet the needs of adoptive and foster families.

Since its founding in 2016, Chosen has served more than 600 families from 13 southeastern Wisconsin counties, caring for more than 1,225 foster or adopted children. Its two Family Closets have given away more than 50,000 items to families since May 2017.

More information about Chosen is available at www.choseninlove.org, by calling (262) 724-6736, or following on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OurChosenFamily. Donations can be made at www.choseinlove.org/action.