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On Friday and Saturday, the Troup County Foster Parent Association will host one of its semi-annual yard sales. Proceeds from the event go directly to help kids in Troup County.

Joanne Broderick of the Troup County Foster Parents Association said the items originally came from extra items that their foster families don’t need. Now, sometimes people just give them items specifically to sell at the yard sale.

“Part of what we do is we take in donations for foster children and foster families, but occasionally people donate things that aren’t needed for a foster child or a foster family, and so we set those things aside, and twice a year we’ll do a yard sale. Also, members of the community will donate items specifically for the yard sale to raise funds,” Broderick said.

The Troup County Foster Parents Association helps support foster kids and their families. Sometimes that’s making sure foster kids have the things they need, whether it’s Christmas gifts, school supplies or clothes.

“We have a clothing closet, because the children come into care with literally just the clothes that they’re wearing. There is a clothing allowance, but it doesn’t even begin to cover what it would cost you to buy clothes,” Broderick said.

The association also has a resource center for local foster homes as needs change.

“One day you might be fostering a teenager, and the next day it might be an infant, and so you need to be able to swap out your twin-size bed for a crib, or you might need a stroller or a high chair. And foster families really shouldn’t have to go out and buy those items, so we collect those things and store them, and we’re available 24/7, when that phone rings to get items to them.” Broderick said.

The group also provides support groups for foster parents and training for trauma-informed parenting, because children who’ve experienced separation loss handle trauma differently than kids who have not had those experiences.

While mom and dad are there for training or the support group, they have a space for the children to gather and meet. It ends up becoming sort of an impromptu support group for the children as well, Broderick said.

“They get to hang out with kids who are going through the same things that they’re going through,” she said. “It’s hard in everyday life to find someone who truly gets what they’re going through, other than other kids who are walking that walk with them.”

Boderick said they have been doing similar yard sales since 201, but it really grew in 2021 when they moved to their current location on Whitesville Road.

This year they have toys, clothes, books, furniture, kitchen items, home décor and more. Every purchase helps support children experiencing foster care right here in our community.

The Troup County Foster Parent Association Yard Sale will be held Friday, June 27, starting at 10 a.m. and Saturday, June 28, starting at 8 a.m., at 3683 Whitesville Road in LaGrange.