About Garrett’s Place

Paula and David Tarwater experienced the ultimate tragedy. Their infant son Garrett passed away in his sleep when he was just a few months old. Words can't describe the path Paula and David walked together in the months and years that followed. They navigated grief and heartache while caring for Garrett's brothers, experiencing every emotion a parent can imagine. They only survived because of their faith and the support of their community.

When she was in the depths of grief and feelings of emptiness, the Lord gave Paula a message she wouldn’t understand for years.

Today you are a mother without her son. One day, you will find a son without his mother.

Years later, when Garrett's brothers Joshua and Matthew were all but grown, Paula and David received an emergency call asking them to care for a young child who needed a place to stay for the night. They immediately said yes. Paula did all she could to comfort this child whose already fragile world was turned upside down. As she held the boy in her arms, she was reminded of what the Lord told her.

A son without his mother.

That night, a promise from the Lord became a calling, and Paula and David decided to become foster parents. Since then, the Tarwater's have provided a home for numerous foster children, and four have become permanent members of their family.

As Paula and David fulfilled their calling as foster parents, the Lord opened their eyes to the lack of resources and support available for foster children and families. They realized that, in addition to caring for children in their home, the Lord was asking them to help others in the foster care system. It turned out their calling was bigger than they imagined.

So Paula and David started Garrett’s Place to support foster children and the families that care for them.

How We Serve Foster Children and Families

Garrett's Place: A Suitcase and And Something To Put In It

We provide free clothes, toys, books, school supplies, and other items to foster children as they are placed with new families.

First, each child picks out a suitcase. This is often the first suitcase they've ever owned, and they don't usually have anything to put in it. So we provide a free "shopping" experience where they can fill the suitcase with essential items to meet their material needs and comforting toys to help them adjust to their new foster home, along with a brand new Bible.

For many, this is the first time in their lives they have something to call their own.

We also give each child a wristband with instructions for contacting Garrett's Place. From that point forward, they know who to call when there is nowhere else to turn. We also provide for families needing items so they can be reunified, as well as at-risk families, and the homeless.

Our Growing Mission

We are exploring opportunities to expand our support for children aging out of the foster care system. Contact us to find out how you can help us launch these exciting initiatives.

Job Opportunities

Garrett's Place Vintage Shops will sell second-hand items to raise funds to support our mission and provide jobs and the opportunity to develop work skills for children aging out of the foster care system.