For Jeff Westcott, supporting InVest in Youth is deeply personal. As a foster parent for nearly 15 years, Jeff and his wife Julie welcomed more than 40 children into their home and permanently adopted or gained custody of six. The firsthand experience, and the heartbreak of witnessing the physical and emotional needs of vulnerable children and their families, led Jeff to help found InVest in Youth in 2021. The nonprofit provides immediate support to families when children transition to a foster or kinship home.
Jeff and Julie volunteer with Invest in youth 20 to 30 hours each week, meeting with families, doing laundry, organizing support groups, and hosting events like Christmas parties and spring picnics. Westcott insurance employees donate gently used clothing, toys, and essential items year-round, and even customers have brought donations directly to the agency on InVest in Youth’s behalf.
One of the most meaningful expressions of that support is InVest in Youth’s clothing shop, where children entering foster care, can choose their own clothes. Westcott Insurance volunteers help collect, prepare, and display the donations, then stand alongside kids as they try things on.
“The most memorable experience is watching teenagers who have just been through a major trauma try on clothing and get excited about their ‘new’ pair of expensive NIKE shoes or brand-name clothes,” Jeff Shared.
A $10,000 Make More Happen Award would help Invest in Youth expand support groups, community events, and its annual Christmas party, where every child receives a meal, gifts, and a moment to simply feel celebrated.
Vote for Westcott Insurance and InVest in Youth to help more children find stability, dignity and hope.