WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — Becoming a foster parent comes with its fair share of challenges. That’s why one group works so hard to relieve some of that burden.

"We are shopping for my three little ones. I have a 2-year-old, 6-year old and an 8-year-old," said Alexandra Kossow, a foster parent, as she browsed through racks of clothes.

Like any parent, Kossow wants to make sure her kids are provided for, which includes ones who might only be with her temporarily.

"I've had children come with just a backpack from school and nothing else," she said. "So trying to have everything that they need can kind of bring things up, and then kids are all different sizes, different styles, things like that."

Over two years, five foster kids called Kossow’s house their home.

They're a handful of thousands of kids placed in the New York state foster care system every year.

Thankfully, Kossow found some support at the WNY Foster Closet in Williamsville. 

"We are a not-for-profit clothing closet that collects anything new and some gently used items and we give them to kids who have been removed from their house through the court system," explained Cheryl Flick, a co-founder of the WNY Foster Closet.

Families can get a week's worth of clothes, per child, up to four times a year, all for free, plus toys, toiletries, shoes and more.

Flick started the closet three and a half years ago after becoming a foster mom herself. Fifteen kids came through her house over eight years.

"The most any child ever brought with them was a couple bags worth of things that did not properly fit them," recalled Flick. "They were teenagers so we then had to go out and clothe teenagers which, if you've ever had a teenager, she was alone and not cheap."

This "store" helps relieve financial burdens, but it helps with emotional ones too.

"We had a placement of like three kids rapid-fire and everyone was so helpful, just like, 'what do you need? What sizes are they? Take a breath. It's OK!' And that made all the difference," said Kossow.

Kossow looks forward to bringing her kids back in when the pandemic cools down, so they can shop for themselves, which is something that might be totally new for some foster kids.

"Especially when you've kind of lost everything you've known, it's nice to kind of have that sort of autonomy," said Kossow. 

For now, she completed another successful solo shopping trip.

"You’re jam-packed," said Flick as she packed up the bags.

"I love it, thank you so much," exclaimed Kossow.

Kossow went home with goodies her family was happy to receive and this Foster Closet was more than happy to provide.

"It's always rewarding for everybody who is touched by the foster closet," said Flick.

Since opening its location at the Eastern Hills Mall, WNY Foster Closet has seen its traffic quadruple. They don’t have any residency requirements and they’re all volunteer-run.

For information on how to help, or how to be helped, click here.