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2025: A Year of Growth and Connection


As we tie a bow on 2025, we want to pause and say thank you!!


Because of your support, Foster SQUAD continued to show up for foster and kinship families across Iowa in meaningful, practical ways—especially in moments when support mattered most.


Here’s what together we accomplished this year:


Care Kits: Comfort in the Midst of Change

In 2025, we distributed 703 care kits to foster and kinship families across Iowa, offering practical support during critical moments of transition. In the fourth quarter, we expanded this program into Southeast Iowa thanks to generous funding from Variety – the Children’s Charity. As a result, Foster SQUAD now provides care kits in 30 of Iowa’s 99 counties.


This support also included $19,050 in gift cards, helping families meet immediate needs when a child entered their home.


Support and Connection: Strength in Community

Since Foster SQUAD was founded, providing support and training for foster families has been a top priority. In 2025, we continued to offer our monthly in-person support group in Ankeny along with regular virtual trainings that provide foster care licensing credit.


Over the years, we’ve also learned that meaningful support includes creating opportunities for foster families to simply enjoy time together—at no cost. This year, we hosted a Foster Family Day with the Iowa Cubs, made possible by a generous donation from the Ankeny Rotary Club, and an Equestrian Day at Menagerie Stables.


These moments of connection help build community, reduce isolation, and remind families they are not alone.


eQuip Hub: Real-Time Support

Launched in July, eQuip Hub is a unique marketplace that connects foster and kinship families in need with generous community members ready to donate essential items. When a child enters their home, foster families are often scrambling to find basics like bedroom furniture or baby gear.


eQuip Hub was created to fill that gap—so families can focus on what matters most: helping a child feel safe and welcome during a difficult transition.


Since launching in Central Iowa, eQuip Hub has already facilitated 39 meaningful donation connections.


Operation Santa: Hope for the Holidays

Operation Santa grew even larger this year, supporting 3,335 children across Iowa with gifts from their personal wish lists. We partnered with incredible nonprofit organizations throughout the state to ensure every family was within an hour of a festive celebration—providing a private, welcoming space for foster and biological families to celebrate together whenever possible.


In Des Moines alone, more than 800 people attended our event on what once again turned out to be a treacherous weather day. Despite the conditions, it was an incredible experience filled with smiles, joy, and families being spoiled with gifts beyond what they ever expected.


To our volunteers, wish list donors, toy drive hosts, sponsors, and individual donors—thank you for helping us create Christmas magic for foster families across Iowa this year.


A Place to Call Home

After years of operating out of homes, shared spaces, and storage units, we reached an important milestone in 2025—we realized it was time for Foster SQUAD to have a space of our own. This year, we moved into our new office in Ankeny, creating a centralized home for our team, programs, and growing operations.


Having our own space allows us to work more efficiently, store and prepare care kits, collaborate with partners, and better serve foster and kinship families across Iowa. We’re excited about what this means for the future of Foster SQUAD and can’t wait to welcome our community into this new chapter.


We look forward to showing off our new space at an open house in February and celebrating this milestone together.


Behind every number is a family who felt less alone. A foster parent who felt supported instead of overwhelmed. A child who felt seen, celebrated, and cared for. None of this happens without you. Your belief in this mission are what fuel every care kit, every gift card, every connection, and every Christmas miracle.


As we look ahead to 2026, our commitment remains the same: to walk alongside foster and kinship families with practical support, community, and compassion—every step of the way. Thank you for being part of the Foster SQUAD family. We are deeply grateful for you.


Traci Schermerhorn

Executive Director & Co-Founder

Foster SQUAD


P.S. If you’re considering a year-end gift, there’s still time to make an impact before December 31. Your support directly helps foster families across Iowa start strong and stay supported. Donations can be made on our website.



 
 
 
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