NORFOLK, Neb. — Foster Care Closet of Nebraska brought their bus to Norfolk to help the foster care community in the area, providing essential items to children.

Executive director and founder of Foster Care Closet of Nebraska Leigh Esau said the organization helps parents and youth in the foster care system.

“We’re able to provide a complete wardrobe…seasonal wardrobe…to youth at about $130 per youth,” Esau said.

Children were able to collect comfort items, personal hygiene products, and clothing at the event.

Esau was a youth-in-care and a foster parent and said seeing the children get items they want to get is an important part of the day.

“What we really want to see is the smiles on the faces of the youth,” Esau said. "That’s because what we’re giving them matters to them and it’s things that they want."

Midway through the event, Esau said over 60 foster care children had gone through and picked their outfits in the early portion of the day.

Ariel Murdock, foster parent of two children, said resources like Foster Care Closet provides her with hope.

“People can remain hopeful that there is good people left in the world,” Murdock said. "We drove about an hour to come to this so even not being directly in this community, it’s great to have a resource like this."

Murdock added how organizations willing to give to foster children can show the kids they matter.

“It’s so easy for these kids to be forgotten and…not my kind of responsibility," Murdock said. "It is somebody’s responsibility and these kids deserve it just as much as any other kid.”

Foster Care Closet of Nebraska has locations in Lincoln, North Platte, Kearney, and Beatrice.

The bus stops in Scottsbluff, Grand Island, Norfolk, and Sidney for the mobile closets in Nebraska.