Adoption RI holds eighth annual duffel bag donation drive

Kalianna Darling-Lima and Brooklynn Darling-Lima helped collect 55 bags for Adoption Rhode Island’s eighth annual Duffel Bag Bash event while their father, Matthew, drove the Cardi’s truck that participants filled up with their donations last weekend.

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — Attorney Lise Iwon reached out to the Rhode Island Office of the Child Advocate in the spring of 2016, with the hope of making moving for children in foster care easier.

Iwon envisioned an event where communities could help them directly.

“This event started because in the early 80s I was one of the volunteer attorneys who sued DCYF (Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families) for kids being on night-to-night placement,” Iwon said. “…When you’re on night-to-night placement, you don’t go to school because you don’t have an address.”

On Sunday, the eighth annual “Duffel Bag Bash” took place at the Matunuck Community Association, welcoming hundreds of people throughout the afternoon, from all over the state.

Katelyn Medeiros, Acting Child Advocate said, between the upticks in local businesses and volunteers assisting, support for the event has steadily increased over the years — with some attendees even calling beforehand to mark their calendars.

Sponsors this year included Cardi’s Furniture & Mattresses, Flood Auto Group, Mews Tavern, Go Pasta, Ocean Mist, and the state’s General Treasurer, James Diossa and Kiel James Patrick.

“It’s a great community event,” Medeiros said. “I even dare to say that it’s expanded even beyond our state borders in the eight years that we’ve done this event. I think it’s a cause that everyone can stand behind and support.”

Upon entry, attendees could enjoy the company of therapy dogs, and live music put on by resident Marc Levesque.

Each year, Adoption Rhode Island has assisted in the event — an outdoor gathering where attendees are asked to donate new rolling duffle bags, suitcases, or a $25 gift certificate as admission.

“It’s a great way for everyone to be able to help kids in foster care, because people do care about those kids, but they don’t know how to help,” Darlene Allen, CEO of Adoption Rhode Island said. “So, this is a way to bring the community together to help them.”

Children were welcome if they brought a new backpack.

“It’s a really good thing to take your kid shopping to get gift cards and bags for kids who don’t have anything,” Iwon said. “It’s a good lesson to teach your kid, ‘there are other kids who are like you but they don’t have what you have.’ It’s a good teaching tool.”

A truck from Cardi’s Furniture & Mattresses was on hand to collect the donations.

“By Wednesday all those duffel bags will be distributed to all the DCYF probation offices in the state and for all the gift cards we get, they go to the office of the child advocate and adoption Rhode Island for kids in state care,” Iwon said. “Because kids in state care need bikes and cleats and shoes and everything.”

There was food, drinks, and grab bags for all who attended.

Medeiros said the event has come a long way since its inaugural year.

“(When we started) it was a routine practice to move the belongings in trash bags, which is not only a degrading process, but often times items would get lost and prized possessions would not move with them in a safe manner,” Medeiros said. “…For the first year, (items were) disseminated and there was such a need. There’s still a need, but to the point I feel that that practice has really been minimized. These bags continue to be disbursed on an ongoing basis and it is a rarity to see that practice take place anymore over the eight years.”

Anyone interested in helping can send or drop off donations at Adoption RI, 290 West Exchange St., Suite 100, Providence.

Donations are also accepted online at weblink.donorperfect.com/dufflebagbash2023.

[email protected]

Log In

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. Threats of harming anotherperson will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyoneor anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ismthat is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link oneach comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitnessaccounts, the history behind an article.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week that hospitalizations related to the COVID-19 virus increased for the sixth consecutive week. The more recent saw more than 15,000 hospital admissions, a 19 percent increase over the previous week, and health officials around the country are cautioning that new variants of the virus may warrant extra attention this fall and winter.Are you worried about another spike of COVID-19 disrupting your plans this fall or in the winter? Let us know in this week's poll question below.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.