8-Year-Old Pays It Forward for Foster Kids

8-year-old Darius Noonan, who resides north of Boston, had a dream to help foster kids and came up with a plan to pay it forward. Darius was adopted from foster care by Kevin and Maria Noonan. While in foster care, Darius received comfort from a gift of the Trouble the Dog plush toy and storybook. He decided he wanted to raise money to help give Trouble the Dog to other children in foster care to give them the same sense of comfort that he experienced.

With the help of his parents, Darius posted a message on Facebook. “We are trying to help our son Darius with his dream to pay it forward to help other foster kids with a gift of Trouble the Dog. Darius is raising money to give as many kids in foster care a Trouble the Dog plush toy, so they can have hope of better days. Thank you everyone for listening to Darius's story,” noted Maria De Fronzo Noonan and Kevin Noonan on their Facebook pages.

Donations came pouring in and 150 plush dogs and books have been ordered so far. Darius and his family, and Sheila Duncan, of Marblehead, co-creator of Trouble the Dog, are personally delivering the plush dogs and books to various foster care programs throughout the north shore, including to the Department of Children and Families (DCF). In the photo, Sheila and Darius are packing the plush Trouble dogs for delivery to representatives from DCF. The Trouble the Dog plush toys and books will be given to children in their care.