Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Some holiday shoppers hit the stores not to buy things for themselves, but rather for Utah's many foster children.
At the Fort Union Target in Salt Lake, shoppers had the opportunity to fill up a stocking for a foster child in need of a little bit of joy over the holidays.
At a booth just to the side of the store's Starbucks, pictures, information, likes and dislikes of some of these kids were on display. Shoppers could actually see these children, get to know them a little, and then head out into the store to purchase gifts for them.
Josh, one of those children, has already spent one Christmas while in foster care. He said that it is "kinda boring. You don't get a lot of presents."
"A family would be easier because they could give you more presents and you'd have more people to hang out with," Josh said.
Cody McBride, with Division opf Child and Family Services, said that these children are in foster care because they could not remain at home
"There were some safety issues. So we're always working to find a way to get those children back into the home," McBride said. "But the holidays is a really hard time for them. For a lot of these children, this is the first time they they've spent without their family. So this is one of the opportunities we have to bring them some joy."
Holiday wish lists for the kids were also on display, and one popular item on the list was the wish to find a family to adopt them.
Those interested in adoption should visit the Adoption Exchange website, where more information can be found.
Story written by [David Self Newlin](<mailto: dnewlin@ksl.com>) with reporting from [Jennifer Stagg](<mailto: jstagg@ksl.com>)
