Fresh Start Bags: What are they?
A Fresh Start Bag is more than just a collection of supplies - it is a tangible message to a person that this community cares about them. Distributed to youth experiencing trauma, homelessness, or sudden crisis, each bag is packed with care and contains new clothing, essential hygiene items, a journal or activity book, and a blanket depending on season.
How did the Fresh Start Program get started?
Every great initiative starts with a moment of realization. For us, that moment came through Officer Kat.
Several years ago while responding to a crisis involving a young child, Officer Kat reached out to Jen looking for basic essentials. In the middle of a chaotic and stressful situation, she noted how much easier - and more comforting for the child - it would be if the items were already packed together in a readily available bag.
That conversation sparked a movement. Today, our assembly and storage room is proudly named Kat's Closet, and it is where the Fresh Start Bag program was born.
"I had a child that literally threw a chair at me, and we weren't getting anywhere. I gave the child a Fresh Start Bag and took them to get chicken nuggets and now we're fine!" - Officer Kat
The Ripple Effect: Who These Bags Help
We proudly supply Fresh Start Bags to approximately 16 community partner agencies, creating a safety net across our region. These bags offer a profound sense of relief to everyone involved in a crisis situation.
For the recipients, it gives them dignity in a moment where they may have lost everything, receiving brand-new items chosen specifically for them restores a sense of self-worth. It also provides immediate comfort with physical warmth from the blanket and a psychological sense of safety during the hardest hours of their lives.
For law enforcement, it is a tool for connection that gives officers a gentle, non-threatening way to build trust and break the ice with a child or teen. It's also allows officers to immediately meet a youth's physical needs right from the trunk of their squad car, without delay.
For partner agency staff, it eases the burden so partner the staff can focus on crisis intervention and emotional supprt, knowing the immediate physical needs of the youth are already being met.
How You Can Help
We cannot fill Kat's Closet alone. It takes a community to wrap clients in support. Here is how you can take action today!
Build a Bag
Gather a group of friends, family, or coworkers to purchase and assemble a complete Fresh Start Bag.
Donate Items
Do we want to keep this section?
Make a Financial Gift
Short on time? A monetary donation allows our team to purchase bulk items and fill the gaps for sizes or supplies we are running low on.
ICT SOS is a grassroots non-profit, founded in Wichita, whose mission is to connect the organizations who work directly with victims of human trafficking with members of the community who are compelled to help. Through this link, our community has an outlet to donate items, raise awareness of the sex trafficking issue and educate our children about safety. Contact us today to learn how to help. Or check out our get involved page to find out how to help the victims of sex trafficking.
