TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa high school senior is collecting suitcases and duffel bags for foster children while continuing to push for a state law requiring children entering the foster care system to receive proper luggage.

Sophie Stowell, a senior at Berkeley Preparatory School, started the suitcase donation initiative Fostering with Dignity after seeing a news report about seven foster children moving their belongings in garbage bags.

“I was watching the news with my dad a year and a half ago. And I saw a horrible story of seven foster children moving and they were transporting their bags, their items in garbage bags,” Stowell said. “And it was just horrible.”

Stowell and her father, Randy Stowell, have set up suitcase donation sites at Berkeley Preparatory School. She has also teamed up with sports teams, churches and other groups to collect luggage.

Stowell said she was surprised to learn Florida does not have a law requiring foster children to be given proper luggage when they enter the system.

“We found out that a couple of other states have law in place that required students to have luggage when they enter the system and Florida was not one of them,” she said.

Stowell worked with State Rep. Lindsay Cross, who filed legislation to create that requirement. The bill did not pass during this year’s legislative session.

“I mean the whole situation is very unfortunate and terrible, but bringing your items in a trash bag insinuates that you’re not worth much and your items could even be worth trash,” Stowell said. “That’s so dehumanizing, and I don’t feel they should ever feel that way.”

The donation effort has received support from the Yankees organization and Tampa Bay Sun, as well as St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz. Stowell collected enough suitcases at the church to fill several vehicles.

The suitcases and duffel bags are donated to Duffles of Dignity, a Hillsborough County Children’s Services program.

“Oh it’s just amazing to see the support from different sports organizations like Yankees and Tampa Bay Sun even just to my closest friends at school,” Stowell said. “It’s really amazing to see everyone come together.”

Stowell is still hoping to get the luggage requirement passed into law during the 2027 legislative session.