Every Number Represents a Child
Carrying Love Foundation exists to replace uncertainty with dignity, one suitcase at a time.
329,000
Children in Care (Sept 30, 2024)
170,943
Entered Foster Care
176,730
Exited Foster Care
15,379
Aged Out Without Family
National foster care activity during federal fiscal year 2024
Every day, children across the United States enter foster care because their lives have changed in an instant. They may leave behind their homes, schools, friends, favorite toys, and everything familiar. Some leave with only the clothes they are wearing and their belongings packed in a black trash bag.
Imagine packing your entire life into a garbage bag.
Imagine not knowing where you will sleep that night.
Imagine wondering whether anyone cares.
For thousands of children, this is not imagination. It is reality.
Behind every statistic is a child whose story deserves to change.
Foster Care in America
National foster care activity during federal fiscal year 2024
The Daily Reality
These figures reveal the scale of the foster care system, but they cannot fully express the uncertainty, disruption, and emotional loss experienced by each child.
Why Children Enter Care
- Neglect
- Parental substance use
- Abuse
- Housing instability
- Other hardships
More than one circumstance may be associated with a child's removal. Many children have experienced multiple forms of trauma before entering care — every child enters foster care carrying a story they did not choose.
Who Are the Children?
Foster care touches every community
Children in foster care come from every race, ethnicity, background, and community across America. Although their experiences differ, every child needs stability, compassion, and the reassurance that they matter.
Children Enter Care at Every Age
From infancy through the teenage years, children enter foster care carrying different needs at every stage of childhood.
Note: Age-distribution data shown here are from federal fiscal year 2021 and will be updated when a directly comparable FY2024 table is available.
How Children Leave Foster Care
For many children, foster care ends through reunification, adoption, or guardianship — each permanent placement represents stability restored and the beginning of a new chapter. In FY2024, 15,379 young people aged out of care without achieving any of these outcomes, facing housing, employment, education, and other responsibilities without a dependable support system.
What the Numbers Can't Say
Statistics tell us how many children enter foster care. They do not tell us what it feels like.
They do not tell us about the little girl trying to protect her favorite teddy bear.
They do not tell us about the teenager who has moved from home to home so many times that they have stopped unpacking.
They do not tell us about the fear of leaving everything familiar behind.
They do not tell us what it feels like to carry your entire life in a trash bag.
Every number represents a child.
Every child carries a story.
Every story deserves dignity, hope, and love.
A Suitcase Cannot Erase Trauma
But it can restore dignity.
You matter.
Your belongings matter.
Your future matters.
For a child entering a new home, something as simple as a suitcase can become a powerful reminder that someone believes they are worthy of care. It transforms one of life's most difficult transitions into a moment marked by respect, compassion, and hope.
Providing Luggage Is Where Our Mission Begins
It is not where it ends.
Children and young adults experiencing foster care transitions may also need preparation for independent living, access to trusted services, positive adult guidance, and a community committed to their long-term success.
The Hope Initiative
Restores dignity by replacing trash bags with new and gently loved suitcases.
Youth Independence Initiative
Equips young adults with practical knowledge and skills for successful independent living.
Community Champions Initiative
Mobilizes organizations, professionals, and volunteers to share their time, expertise, and resources.
Resource Navigation & Referral Network
Connects youth and families with trusted housing, counseling, employment, educational, and community services.
Together, these initiatives address immediate needs while creating pathways toward stability, independence, and hope.
Every suitcase carries dignity.
Every suitcase carries hope.
Every suitcase carries love.
Through practical support, education, trusted partnerships, and community engagement, Carrying Love Foundation is working toward a future where no child or young adult must navigate life's transitions feeling forgotten, unsupported, or alone.