Shelbyville—Foster kids deserve better than carrying their belongings in plastic bags, said a women’s missions leader.

“They already feel like garbage being forced out of their homes, but then to put all their stuff in a garbage bag—I’m sure it affects their self-esteem,” said Sharon Cissell, missions consultant with Shelby Baptist Association Woman’s Missionary Union.

The Shelby WMU collected nearly 100 suitcases, travel bags and totes at an annual missions celebration held May 21. The items were donated as part of the “Give a Duffel Bag” campaign at Sunrise Children’s Services.

The women also gave Sunrise a $130 gift to help even more at-risk children.

Eighty-two leaders of the Women’s Missionary Union in Kentucky attended the mission supper that featured Sunrise’s ministry to abused, abandoned and victimized children across Kentucky.

Nearly half of the churches in the Shelby Baptist Association sent representatives to the event, at which seven Kentucky Baptist leaders spoke: Joy Bolton, executive director/treasurer of Kentucky WMU; Susan Bryant, president of Kentucky WMU; Betty Montfort, WMU director for Shelby Baptist Association; Tony Hough, director of missions for Shelby Association; Sharon Cissell, WMU consultant for Shelby Association; and Chris Platt, pastor of Highland Baptist Church.

“Last night, more than 600 children slept in a Sunrise bed, and most came to us carrying everything they own in plastic bags,” said Randy Greene, Sunrise’s vice president for marketing and advancement.

Greene said the gifts will help children have “more personal dignity as they travel.”

According to the campaign’s website, only about 12 percent of Sunrise’s 1,200 duffel bag goal has been met.

To participate in the ongoing campaign, visit online at https://www.sunrise.org/cs_cause/give-a-duffel-bag.