Family Focus: Church store provides free clothes to foster families

MATTHEWS, N.C. — A Matthews church opened a clothing store this week for foster children.
 
Eyewitness News anchor Natalie Pasquarella stopped in to find out how volunteers hope to make it more than just a shopping trip for families.

New clothes, shoes and accessories at Mosaic-Style with Love are free to area foster children.

Becky Eisert remembered when the six children she fostered, since adopted, first arrived to her home.

"They're going through this emotional gambit anyway because they've been taken out of their homes," Eisert said. "They've been taken away from what they know and they're taken to a stranger's home."

She said children lose their sense of identity when they enter foster care so she was thrilled to find out her church, Carmel Baptist, wanted to open this store.

Rev. Patrick McCrory came up with the idea to open the store on Independence Boulevard after seeing a need within the church's adoption, foster care and orphan care ministry.

"They're going through a hard situation and if we can give them one thing that can help, make that transition easier, let's do it," McCrory said.
 
He wanted the store to have new clothing and operate only from donations.
 
"We want these children to have the very, very best and it's not a hand-me-down from anybody," McCrory said. "It's something that's brand new. Every one of them has a mosaic tag on it."
 
He also wants the store to be a bonding experience.

"Stand on this podium and look in the mirror, when they look in that mirror, we want them to see that they're someone of dignity and that they've got people around them that care for them," the pastor said.
 
His church teamed up with the Department of Social Services to refer foster families to the store.

If you would like to donate new clothes and other items, click here.

WSOC