16 Apr First Night Bags and Second Chances: How Qavah The Storehouse Serves Foster Children in Texas
Jeff Crilley sits down with Kelly and Richard Archibald, the husband-and-wife co-founders of Qavah The Storehouse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to serving children in the Texas foster care system. The conversation centers on their signature "first night bags"—brand-new backpacks filled with pajamas, toiletries, clothes, and a personal note—delivered to CPS offices so that a child removed from their home has something of their own from the very first night. Richard shares the childhood experience that planted the seed for the mission: when his mother was arrested, he and his two brothers ended up in a shelter with nothing but a thin gown. That memory drives his conviction that having your own belongings gives a child confidence and a sense of protection. Kelly explains how the organization has expanded over eight years from first night bags into resource fairs, reunification celebrations, back-to-school drives, and partnerships with the Children's Advocacy Center and DISD. The Archibalds also discuss their podcast, Qavah The Podcast, which spotlights stories of resilience from foster care alumni, adoptive parents, and survivors of difficult circumstances. Their long-term dream is to open a physical location where children can come in and pick out their own clothes and supplies—an experience Richard recalls fondly from his time at Buckner Children's Home.
Key Topics
- first night bags for foster children
- Richard's childhood experience in the shelter system
- partnering with CPS offices and the Children's Advocacy Center
- reunification celebrations for families
- the dream of a physical storehouse location
- Qavah The Podcast and stories of resilience
- community drives for back-to-school and Halloween
Episode Timestamps
- 01:24 – Kelly explains how first night bags started eight years ago
- 03:07 – Richard describes why having your own belongings matters to a removed child
- 03:48 – Show and tell: what's inside a first night bag for a little girl
- 05:08 – Duffel bag contents for an older boy
- 05:35 – How bags get delivered to CPS offices and the Children's Advocacy Center
- 06:23 – Providing supplies for five children over five days after a home incident
- 07:25 – Richard shares the story of his mother's arrest and going to a shelter
- 08:36 – Why the work still makes Richard emotional
- 09:15 – Photos: reunification party, back-to-school drives, and DISD Halloween costumes
- 10:33 – The Archibalds' dream of opening a physical storehouse
- 11:40 – Spotlight on Qavah The Podcast guests and their stories
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Episode Chapters
- 00:00 – Introduction
- 01:25 – Meet the Founders of Cavah The Storehouse
- 01:57 – How First Night Bags Began
- 03:40 – What's Inside a First Night Bag
- 05:35 – Partnering with CPS and Community Impact
- 07:22 – Richard's Personal Connection to Foster Care
- 08:36 – The Emotional Heart Behind the Mission
- 09:03 – Photos and Stories from the Field
- 10:33 – Dreams for the Future and How to Help
- 11:39 – The Cavah Podcast and Guest Stories
- 12:46 – Closing Thoughts