MOULTRIE — A Christmas party Dec. 1 was a taste of normalcy for children in a difficult position.

The party, sponsored by The Forgotten Initiative of Colquitt County, gave foster children, foster parents and the caseworkers of the Division of Family and Children Services a chance to mingle with one another in a festive event that contradicts so many of the other experiences they may have had.

A child can wind up in foster care in a number of ways, but all of them are tough. Perhaps parents have died, or are in jail, or are on drugs, or have a mental health issue. None of those situations is the kids’ fault, but they need to be removed by DFCS for their own safety. Foster parents step in to keep things functioning, to provide love and security — occasionally stability — in a world that’s gone topsy-turvy.

It’s hard on the kids and it’s hard on the foster parents, but it would be so much harder if the foster parents weren’t there.

The Forgotten Initiative exists to support both the foster children and the foster parents as they navigate the tempest they find themselves in.

Amber Schwalls has been involved with TFI since the Colquitt County chapter started about nine years ago, and she’s been the chapter’s advocate for seven years. With her are three coordinators and three volunteers who make up the local branch of the national TFI organization.

As with many groups, Christmas is a busy time for The Forgotten Initiative. In addition to the Christmas party — held at the Arts Center of Moultrie for the first time this year — TFI is sponsoring the Angel Tree at Walmart, where shoppers can provide the Christmas wishes for foster children.

The Angel Tree is hung with paper ornaments that list a Christmas gift that a foster child would like to receive. A shopper can pick an ornament, purchase the item on it and take it to the layaway desk, where the store will stash it for DFCS to pick up.

The deadline to purchase items on the Angel Tree is Dec. 19 so that they can be distributed in time for Christmas.

The Angel Tree serves foster children up to 11 years old. Older children are matched with sponsors, who might be a family, an individual or a business.

“We’ve actually matched all of our teenagers and their gifts have already been delivered to the DFCS office,” Schwalls said.

TFI also sponsors an appreciation brunch for the DFCS caseworkers, which was held recently.

These events are routine, but Schwalls said every year someone steps up unexpectedly.

This year it was Chick-fil-A, which has put a Christmas tree in its lobby with gift cards that shoppers can purchase and donate to the TFI’s Journey Grub program. Journey Grub collects donated gift cards from fast food restaurants to ensure children heading into foster care can eat during the transition.

TFI has other projects throughout the year, but its biggest project is the Resource Room at the Colquitt County DFCS office.

When a child goes into foster care, the caseworker gives them two bags: a new bookbag with school supplies and a new overnight bag or duffel with pajamas, socks, toiletries and other necessities. TFI organizes and stocks the room where those materials are kept.

The items are all either donated or purchased with donated funds. TFI has three drop-off locations in Moultrie: Ameris Bank, 300 S. Main St.; Flair Salon, 514 E. Central Ave.; and Shuga Foot, 900 Veterans Parkway North. Locked boxes are available at each of those locations for monetary or gift card donations, and each has a hamper for donated goods.

Other donations can be made through the website theforgotteninitiative.org. That’s the website of the national The Forgotten Initiative, but there are instructions on how to designate donations for the Colquitt County affiliate.

Schwalls said some churches and businesses are particularly involved in the ministry, including Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Ameris Bank, Triangle Furniture and Kingwood Baptist, Southside Baptist of Norman Park and Mt. Olive Baptist churches.

“There’s certain churches I can call and say we need this, and they do it,” she said.

You can learn more about The Forgotten Initiative at theforgotteninitiative.org or at their Facebook page. Contact them through the Facebook page or at colquittcounty.ga@theforgotteninitiative.org.