MAUMEE, Ohio — Sarah Otis and her husband Jim Otis have been foster parents for decades, meeting their daughter when she was 10 back in 2000 when they adopted her from the Lucas County Children Services. But knowing it doesn't always work out that way.
Otis said that before they adopted her, their daughter experienced a lot of trauma, which helped to open the Otis family's eyes to the tragedies that foster kids face.
"She will tell you about dumpster diving for food," Otis said. "I mean, there's heartbreak there. Jim and I knew in our hearts that maybe we could do something different."
Otis said that by being a foster parent, she learned that many of the kids who age out of the system sometimes have nothing more than the shirt on their back. She and her husband wanted to see that change.
"We got our act together and worked with several agencies that defined that the group that really could use some support is the youth that emancipates, or ages out, of Lucas County Children Services," Otis said. "About 70 percent of them end up homeless within their first year. That's pretty crappy."
Part of the reason for their hardships is adversity.
"There is no typical road for many of these kids," Otis said. "They're very self-sufficient but there are also a lot of deficits."
So, to change statistics, Love and Luggage was born. Kids graduating from LCCS received a duffel bag on wheels, and the opportunity to fill it with all kinds of essentials to start out life on their own.
"They would like to be like most 18-year-olds, right? They get out of high school, they have someplace to go and they have an apartment," Otis said. "But, they don't have the infrastructure or support system most of them need."
Jason Armstrong is the assistant pastor at the First Presbyterian Church in Maumee, which houses Love and Luggage. He says it's important to remember how fortunate most people are. Love and Luggage aims to help those who may not be as fortunate.
"They have a pantry here with items that the young adults can come and get what they need. Whether it's laundry detergent, or cookware, whatever those needs are when you go into an apartment situation and you just need stuff," Armstrong said.
It's a community effort to provide for the LCCS graduates.
"They need the support of people to come alongside them and surround them that can guide them in their life," Armstrong said. "Many of us are fortunate to have parents or mentors."
Otis says the ultimate goal is for everyone to know that someone cares.
"The truth is, is that if every child in the foster care system got adopted, we'd go away," Otis said. "Wouldn't that be lovely?"