Elijah’s Closet: Helping Foster Children in Need

A Harrison County foster parent is using her unique story to provide and encourage other foster parents in similar situations. News 25’s Kendra Turley brings us the story behind Elijah’s Closet.
About two years ago, Andrea Watson and her husband received a call about fostering a four-day-old baby. “They asked if we could come get him in an hour and we’re like ‘oh, goodness, we have nothing.’ So, we’re scrambling around trying to provide for a four-day-old.”
Watson and her husband started the non-profit Elijah’s Closet as a way to help make the transition easier for both foster children and foster parents. “You never know when they’re going to call you. You never know who you’re going to get and what your needs might be,” said Andrea Watson.
The goal of Elijah’s Closet is to provide clothing and necessities to foster children of all ages, from newborns all the way up to age 18.
Andrea and her husband Marcus welcomed a baby boy named Elijah into the world back in 2008. Elijah was born with a chromosomal disease and passed away shortly after in 2009. “We feel this is what the lord is leading us to do. So, we want to keep his memory alive by helping children, by helping any other children we can,” said Andrea Watson.
The non-profit started just two weeks ago and has already helped ease the transition for 12 foster children in the area. “It means a lot to me, you know. It’s honoring God above all things and it’s honoring my son, Elijah, who is up there with God,” said Marcus Watson.
With donations from the community and other foster families rolling in bin by bin, Watson hopes to soon expand Elijah’s Closet from the storage unit she currently operates out of. “That’s our goal, is to have a store front. So, people will be able to just come in and get what they want themselves without us picking.”
Anyone in need of assistance or interested in donating can find more information by searching Elijah’s Closet on Facebook.