Empty Stockings 2024

Let's Make the Holidays Bright for Foster Kids! 

return unwrapped gifts labeled with the stocking # to one of our drop off locations below by December 18! 

Right now, roughly 750 children are in the care of the state through foster care in Yellowstone County. When the holidays roll around, so does the fear that there won’t be one for them.  

“They are going through what is most likely one of the hardest things they will go through during their childhood,” says Jenn Webber, a child protection specialist supervisor with the Child and Family Services Division of the state health department. She knows that many of the children in care left their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs.  

“Sometimes, and it’s not always, when a child needs to be removed from their home due to unsafe circumstances, we don’t always have the opportunity to grab things that are needed or if we do, they are minimal,” Jenn says.   

Yellowstone Valley Woman is hoping to make the holidays bright for these children, and we need your help. We’ve gathered up the names and wishes from some of these children to help make sure there is a present with their name on it under the tree.  

“This program gives a child joy knowing that something was picked out specifically for them,” Jenn says.   

To sponsor a child this holiday, simply purchase the items in need and label the unwrapped gift with the child's name and stocking number listed below.  

For those who serve these children, there are often tears of gratitude by the time Christmas comes.  

“Honestly, I have no words,” Jenn says. “Every year there are tears. Between seeing the activity of gifts coming in or dropping them off with families or hearing the stories from community members who are part of the giving, it’s overpowering. There are always tears.”

DROP-OFF LOCATIONS 

ONCE YOU FILL A STOCKING, DROP THE UNWRAPPED GIFT LABELED WITH THE STOCKING NUMBER TO ONE OF THE LOCATIONS BELOW BY DECEMBER 21ST! 

• Child & Family Services: 2525 Fourth Ave. N., Suite 309 
• Iris Salon: 1579 Mullowney Lane  
• Century 21 Hometown Brokers: 1605 Shiloh Rd. 
• Boothill Inn: 242 E. Airport Rd. 
• Meadowlark Brewing: 3970 Pierce Pkwy., Billings, MT 59106

PLEASE NOTE: If a stocking is marked PENDING, that means someone sponsored that stocking and their workers are waiting for the present to be dropped off. Once the present is fulfilled and dropped off, the item will be marked off our list as FILLED.

1. Ellie, age 13, is living with her Grandparents. Ellie wears a women’s size Medium in shirts and leggings, and shoes size 9 in women. Ellie’s favorite color is green; she enjoys art, DIY kits, and journaling.
2. Sarah is age 7, Sarah loves Barbie and Squishmellows. Sarah plays soccer and wears girls size 7/8 clothing and shoe size 13. She loves all things pink and sparkly! 
3. Noah is age 15 and wears men size small/medium, he lives in sweatshirts! He would like gift cards to eat lunch with friends during school and loves all things Nike!
4. Michael is age 8, he wears a size 10-12 in boys and likes playing football! Michael would like winter gear to play in the snow, fidget toys, and Legos.
5. Jaden is a laid-back 16-year-old boy who loves the freedom and practicality of gift cards. He’s currently in need of specific clothing items to round out his wardrobe, such as shirts, pants, shoes, and jackets. Amazon or Visa gift cards will allow him to choose his style, so they are a perfect option for him this year. 
6. Leo is an adorable 8-month-old baby boy who loves the Cookie Monster! He’s growing fast and could use 9-12 month-sized clothes, including shirts, pants, and shoes to keep him comfy. Although he doesn’t need a jacket right now, fun, Cookie Monster-themed toys would surely make him smile. 
7. Ellie is a creative 10-year-old girl who adores bunnies, My Generation dolls, and makeup. She wears a size 10 in both shirts and pants (slim fit), and a size 4 in shoes. She could use a jacket in size 10-12 to stay cozy. Arts and crafts activities, new doll accessories, or American Girl/My Generation doll items would make her day! 
8. Zachariah is a 15-year-old boy with a keen interest in shoes, cars, and scooters. He wears a size medium shirt, large sweats, and size 11.5 shoes. He could use a large jacket for the colder months. Zachariah has been asking for a desk and computer for his room, which would help him organize and focus on his interests. Gift cards for new shoes or tech-related items would be perfect for him. 
9. Nicole is a sweet 3-year-old girl who loves Frozen, dolls, and ponies. She prefers wearing dresses, but when it comes to winter clothes, she could use size 6/7 shirts and pants, size 11 kids’ shoes, and a size 7 jacket to keep her warm. Zayda would love a bike for outdoor adventures, along with doll accessories and hair items to play with indoors.
10. Amy is a curious 3-year-old girl who loves spending time outside and doing arts and crafts. She wears size 3T in shirts, pants, and jackets, and size 7 in shoes. Warm socks, snow boots, and winter hats would help her stay cozy while playing in the snow. A craft apron would keep her tidy during her creative endeavors. 
11. Arlo is a fun-loving 10-year-old boy who enjoys Spider-Man, clay, and dress-up. He wears size 10-12 shirts and pants and size 7 men’s shoes. He could use a warm jacket in size 10-12 to prepare for the colder weather. Ari would love a special blanket or web shooters to enhance his Spider-Man playtime! 
12. Nancy is a vibrant 7-year-old girl who enjoys playing with Barbies, Rainbow High dolls, and Spider-Woman toys. She wears size 7-8 in both shirts and pants, and size 1 in shoes. She also needs a jacket in size 7-8. Nirvana would love more dolls and accessories to add to her growing collection. 
13. Sarah is a curious 2-year-old girl who enjoys puzzles, teething toys, and developmentally appropriate inside activities. She wears size 2T in shirts, pants, and jackets, and size 6 toddler shoes. She would benefit from winter hats, warm socks, and snow boots for the colder months. A craft apron would also keep her clothes clean during her playtime. 
14. Amelia is a playful 7-year-old girl who absolutely loves cats. She enjoys pretending with play food, dishes, and doing arts and crafts. Amelia wears size 7 in shirts and jackets, size 6/7 pants, and size 1 shoes. New doll accessories or American Girl-related items would keep her busy and entertained. 
15. Ada is a creative 9-year-old girl who loves Hello Kitty, arts and crafts, and playing restaurant with her siblings. She wears size 8 in both shirts and pants, and size 2 girl's shoes. A jacket in size 8 would help keep her warm. Some arts and crafts kits or doll accessories would be great gifts for her! 
16. William is a lively 4-year-old boy who loves Paw Patrol, Spider-Man, and Transformers. He enjoys anything hands-on, like cars, trucks, and trains. Wyatt wears size 5T shirts and jackets, size 4T pants, and size 12 shoes. He could use a warm jacket for winter and some fun new toys to fuel his active playtime. 
17. Anna is a playful 1-year-old girl who loves Little People toys and books. She wears size 2T in shirts, pants, and jackets, and size 4 shoes. A fun toy set, or some new winter clothes would help her stay comfortable and entertained. 
18. Atlas is a sweet 4-month-old baby boy who’s growing fast! He could use clothes in size 3-6 months, including shirts, pants, and jackets, as well as shoes in size 3-6 months. His family is hoping for a crib and bottles to ensure he’s well cared for and cozy. 
19. Claire is a thoughtful 12-year-old girl who loves Harry Potter, spooky things, and astrology. She wears women’s XXL shirts, XL women’s pants, size 10 women’s shoes, and a 2XL-3XL jacket. She would appreciate vinyl water bottle stickers, journals, and maybe even an MP3 player with headphones to enjoy her favorite music. 
20. Celia is an adventurous 11-year-old girl who adores cats and the Warrior Cat series. She wears women’s XL shirts, size 14-16 pants, size 8.5 women’s shoes, and an XL jacket. A metal water bottle or electric scooter would be perfect gifts for her, along with the Spot It game for some family fun. 
21. Landon is a 9-year-old boy who loves art, especially painting and drawing. He wears size large shirts, pants, and jackets, and size 4.5-5 shoes. Canvases, markers, or even Funko Pop figures would brighten his day and let him show off his creativity. 
22. Lexi is a 6-year-old girl with a big imagination. She loves unicorns, Disney princesses (especially from the movie “Wish”), and playing dress-up. Lux wears size S/M (7) in shirts, pants, and jackets, and size 13-1 shoes. Some new dress-up clothes, nail polish, or stickers would be great for her creative playtime. 
23. Madeline is an energetic 1-year-old girl who loves baby dolls, especially ones that play music. She wears size 2T in shirts, pants, jackets, and shoes. A doll stroller or a play phone would add some fun to her imaginative play. 
24. Mary is a trendy 13-year-old girl who loves everything Stitch. She would love a Shipton’s Big R gift card or some turquoise western jewelry to add to her collection. A jacket to keep her warm would also be appreciated. 
25. Nancy is a spunky 4-year-old girl who loves purple, kitties, and Barbies. She wears size 4/5 in shirts, pants, jackets, and size 9/10 shoes. Some new toys featuring her favorite animals or dolls would make her holiday special.
26. Melanie is a curious 1-year-old girl who loves musical toys and bath-time fun. She wears size 18 months in shirts, pants, jackets, and shoes. A toy she can walk behind as she starts exploring on her feet would make her so happy!
27. Raven is a thoughtful 1-year-old girl who loves books. She could use developmental learning toys and clothes in size 12 months as she continues to grow. A few good books would be the perfect gift for this little learner. 
28. James is just 2 months old and could use everything to keep him warm and cozy. He wears size 1-3 month clothes and could use rattles, blankets, bottles, and diapers. A warm jacket and shoes would help ensure he’s comfortable during the colder months. 

return unwrapped gifts labeled with the stocking # to one of our drop off locations by December 18! 

Additional Needs 

Child and Family Services has several children from Montana placed in group homes outside of the state of Montana. Some of these children do not have family support and at times can feel very isolated and lonely. These children are most often teenagers and rarely ask for much. The girls love to have items such as hairbrushes, hair ties, scented soaps and lotions, body spray and any nail polishes or any makeup items. The boys like any shower gels and body sprays/colognes. These children would also be so grateful for any size gift card from a store where they can shop online. (Target, Wal Mart, Amazon) As teens, they become very excited when they are able to shop for themselves and pick out items that interest them. Candy/snacks/chips are also very appreciated at this age and tends to brighten their day.  

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