COVID-19 has been rough for kids living in homeless shelters, Nicole Russell explained, especially those who had grown accustomed to receiving in-person visits from groups like Precious Dreams Foundation, which Russell founded.

“They’re so used to relying on these free resources and these programs that come in and sometimes just lift their spirits when they’re having a rough day, or provide these essential needs that they really depend on.”

There are over 3,000 kids currently living in homeless shelters in Brooklyn alone, and over 800 more in foster care, according to the Citizens’ Committee for Children (CCC). Without a permanent home situation, many of these kids struggle to find comfort and a sense of stability.

Tomorrow, Precious Dreams Foundation will provide 400 homeless children, ages 6 to 18, with items like books, pajamas, and journals — all of it new, and all of it their own. Russell believes these ‘comfort bags,’ as they call them, can empower homeless or foster children to provide self-comfort, particularly around bedtime.

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