Foster Care Support in Gaston County, NC
Gastonia is our hometown. Every program we run was built here first — and Gaston County children remain the heart of who we serve.
Where it started
Least of These Carolinas opened in Gastonia, NC in 2013. Our office at 1000 S. Myrtle School Rd. is where Bags of Hope are packed and Christmas wishlists are sorted. When we say "we serve the Carolinas," Gaston is the place we mean before any other.
The local picture
In 2013, Gaston County had roughly 200 children in foster care. By March 2024, that number was up to about 450 at a time. North Carolina lost roughly 23% of its foster home capacity in 2023 alone. Of all the counties we serve, Gaston is the one where the gap between need and resource is most personal.
Programs active in Gaston
Every program we run is active in Gaston County:
- Bags of Hope — packed at our HQ, distributed across the county.
- Bridge Camp — Gaston County kids attend at no cost.
- Shoes of Hope — annual back-to-school event, hosted at our office.
- Beds and Baby Equipment — same-week delivery to Gaston families.
- Christmas — 1,006 wishlists in 2025; many were Gaston kids.
- Life Box — home essentials for Gaston youth aging out of care.
- Just Like You Scholarship — sports, lessons, and activities for Gaston kids.
- Wishlist Wednesday — weekly Amazon drop, ships to our Gastonia office.
Local partners
Gaston County is wrapped in a quiet network of local businesses and faith communities who keep the lights on:
- Hope4Gaston (sister nonprofit, board overlap)
- Cintas (logistics partner; board member Blake Harris)
- Big Red's Cafe in Kings Mountain (board member Nakisha Wenzel)
- Gastonia Fire Department (board member Phil Welch)
- Chick-fil-A (grant program partner)
How to plug in here
- Foster a child in Gaston. Become a foster parent →
- Volunteer at the office — bag packs, wrap nights, event setup. Sign up →
- Sponsor a family for Christmas, Bridge Camp, or back-to-school.
- Donate. 90% of every dollar goes directly to children in care. Give →