When children enter the foster care system, they often arrive with little more than the clothes they’re wearing. For Leigh Esau, founder of Foster Care Closet of Nebraska, that reality is deeply personal—and it’s what inspired her to create an organization focused on restoring dignity, choice, and compassion for youth in crisis.
In this episode of Agency for Change, host Lyn Wineman sits down with Leigh to explore her lived experience in foster care, her journey into purpose-driven leadership, and the powerful impact Foster Care Closet has across the state of Nebraska. Leigh shares moving stories of children who have “shopped” the closet, explains why brand-new clothing matters, and discusses how the organization supports foster and kinship families during some of their most challenging moments.
Leigh also opens up about a critical turning point for Foster Care Closet, including the urgent funding challenges the organization is facing—and what’s at stake if community support doesn’t step in.
This conversation is a powerful reminder that dignity can change lives—and that meaningful change happens when communities show up together.
Welcome to the Agency for Change Podcast
Connect with Leigh and Foster Care Closet of Nebraska at:
· Website – https://fostercarecloset.org/
· Make a Donation – https://fostercarecloset.networkforgood.com/projects/244758-2025-year-end-giving
· View Foster Care Closet’s Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1UFYICF88PL7Y/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2
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