Every child deserves to feel prepared for the first day of school and celebrated on their birthday. Yet for many children in foster care, these milestones can be overshadowed by uncertainty, transitions, and the challenges of adjusting to a new home. At Rayola, we believe every child deserves to know they belong—not just when they first enter foster care, but throughout the year. That's why we're excited to introduce two new care packages designed to bring comfort, confidence

Rayola Inc. is proud to announce it has received a $3,000 grant from the Midland Rotary Foundation to support the organization’s Care Packages for Foster Youth initiative in Midland County. This funding will help Rayola provide essential comfort items, personal care products, and supportive resources to children and teens in the foster care system. These care packages are designed to bring dignity, encouragement, and a sense of belonging to youth who are often navigating diff

When you ask Janet Lachon and Carolyn Riedel how many quilts and bags they’ve made for children in foster care, they both laugh a little, then offer numbers that sound almost impossible. Janet guesses she’s sewn “200, maybe more… 250 plus, maybe 300, honestly” quilt tops over the years. Carolyn estimates she’s created hundreds of zippered pouches, 400–500 Halloween bags, nearly 200 Valentine’s bags, and now dozens of reversible purses—with more on the way. Taken together, t

A conversation between Savannah Beth Withers Taylor and Lynsey Zawacki, community resource coordinator for Ogemaw and Roscommon for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. By Savannah Beth Withers Taylor SBWT: What is the current state of foster care in Roscommon and Ogemaw counties? LZ: Currently, the state is moving toward prevention. Removals are lessening, but we still have 23 children in Ogemaw and 51 children in Roscommon who are in foster care. SBWT: What