About Us
Columbia Foster & Adoption Project offers support to the foster and adoptive community by providing tangible items and supplies for the children of these homes. We host social events to create community building opportunities and to recognize the hard work it takes to stand in the gap.
Annual Projects
Halloween
October 18, MU Health Care Staff Council will host our annual Halloween Event. Each child registered submitted a Halloween costume wish list. Staff and community members can sponsor one new costume or candy to help us provide every child in attendance left with a bag full of goodies and a new costume. Staff from MU Health Care and other community will decorate and dress up for a morning of games and goodies galore.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS CLOSED
The Giving Tree
The Giving Tree is a program organized each year by Columbia Foster and Adoption Project in Coordination with local agencies in Boone and Callaway counties. Foster parents assist the children in filling out Christmas wish lists that residents of the community sponsor to purchase. Wish lists can be sponsored from our website or picked up from The Columbia Mall storefront during the holiday season. We collect the gifts once purchased and ensure every child receives their presents before Christmas. Gifts were provided for 311 children in 2024.
iBelong Baskets
Initially entering foster care is one of the most traumatic things a child and their family can face. At a moment’s notice they are asked to pack what belongings they can, if any, and often don’t even fully understand why they can no longer be with their family. An iBelong Basket is a basket with the purpose to provide comfort to children as they enter the foster care system. They provide important and necessary supplies to support the foster parent or relative caregiver who will be providing for that child. iBelong Baskets help ease what is often a scary transition. These baskets all stay in our community or surrounding counties, so you can assure your donation supports a local child and their caregiver.
In 2024 we delivered 376 baskets!
Our current need is newborn-3 month old baskets for infant girls and boys and pull-up boy size 2-3T
Tidy Tubs
New resource Alert! Foster, Adoptive and Kinship Families signed up to receive a housekeeping kit in January. This program is possible through the generous support of the Columbia Downtown Optimists Club and individual donations.
Clean, well kept houses help children feel safe and cared for.
Registration for this resource is currently closed.
Summer Swim
In July we host our annual swim social at Albert-Oakland pool. Families are invited for a fun night of swimming, giveaways and community while being served dinner donated from local sponsors. This night is a way for local foster and adoptive families to connect and unwind while enjoying time with the children in their home. In 2024 we served 33 families for a total of 164 people!