Unclaimed Baggage and Society of Illustrators host live ‘Love Luggage’ painting event on May 2 to kick off National Foster Care Month
SCOTTSBORO, Ala., April 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Unclaimed Baggage, the nation’s only retailer of lost luggage, is partnering with the Society of Illustrators to launch Love Luggage® “Illustrators Unite for Foster Kids,” a creative nationwide initiative timed with National Foster Care Month that transforms reclaimed suitcases into powerful works of art for children in foster care.
The Love Luggage project addresses a heartbreaking reality: many foster children in the United States move their belongings in black trash bags during sudden home transitions. Love Luggage, a nonprofit initiative of Unclaimed Baggage, replaces those bags with personalized suitcases that convey respect and care.
Hosted at the Society of Illustrators in New York City, the May 2 launch event will feature 20 acclaimed children’s book illustrators participating in a live painting project. These artists will turn hard-sided suitcases into “canvases of hope” representing resilience and belonging.
Featured artists include:
- Daniel Salmieri: Illustrator of the No. 1 New York Times bestseller Dragons Love Tacos.
- Brendan Wenzel: Caldecott Honor-winning author and illustrator of They All Saw a Cat.
- James Yang: Geisel Award winner for Stop! Bot!
- C.G. Esperanza: Caldecott Honor and Pura Belpré Honor recipient for My Daddy Is a Cowboy.
- Claudia Rueda: New York Times bestselling creator of Bunny Slopes.
- Lisk Feng: Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and award-winning illustrator for Apple, Chanel and Airbnb.
The full list of participating artists is available here.
“This event reflects the heart of the Society of Illustrators’ mission to promote the art of illustration and to contribute the service of its members to the welfare of the community,” said Arabelle Liepold, Executive Director at the Society of Illustrators. “We’re honored to partner with Unclaimed Baggage to bring illustrators and the public together in support of foster youth and to show what creativity can do when it’s rooted in compassion.”
Attendees of the “Illustrators Unite for Foster Kids” May 2 event will have the unique opportunity to watch the professionals at work and pick up a brush themselves to paint suitcases that will be donated directly to local foster children.
Each gifted suitcase will include a copy of Unclaimed Baggage’s book, Tuesday’s Bear, which shares the story of a bear left behind but ultimately rescued and loved, along with a teddy bear for comfort and a “first night” bag of essential toiletries.
“Every child in the foster care system deserves to feel seen, valued and deeply loved,” said Sharon Owens, Chief Brand Officer at Unclaimed Baggage. “Each painted suitcase is more than a container for belongings; it’s a tangible message of worth. Through Love Luggage, we aim to turn a difficult transition into one of dignity and hope.”
Following the event, the professional artworks will form a national touring exhibition, appearing in airports, museums and libraries across the country. This exhibition of lost luggage transformed to Love Luggage creates a powerful collective story–sparking awareness, empathy and action for foster children. It invites thousands of people to pause and see the realities of foster care through a new lens.
Concurrent with National Foster Care Month in May, Love Luggage painting workshops will take place nationwide, from New York to Texas to Tennessee. Highlights include senior illustration students from the School of Visual Arts, and a large-scale event at Unclaimed Baggage’s flagship store in Scottsboro, Alabama, where more than 250 suitcases will be painted and donated.
“When art, storytelling and purpose come together, a simple suitcase becomes a story of love, dignity and hope,” added Owens. “We hope to make a meaningful difference in the lives of foster children—one suitcase at a time.”
The Love Luggage® “Illustrators Unite for Foster Kids” event is free to the public and will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT at the Society of Illustrators in New York City.
For more information about the event, visit the Unclaimed Baggage website. To learn more about Love Luggage®, visit unclaimedbaggage.com/pages/reclaimed-for-good.
About Unclaimed Baggage
Located in Scottsboro, Alabama, Unclaimed Baggage is a one-of-a-kind retail store and the country’s only merchant of unclaimed and lost airline baggage and its contents. Unclaimed Baggage offers a treasure trove of goods that airlines have been unable to reunite with their former owners. The store has made national news for its ever-changing array of unique items from around the world, all sold at an incredible value. As part of its commitment to service and generosity, the company created the Reclaimed for Good foundation which has given millions of dollars’ worth of product and profit to meet needs around the globe. For more information, visit unclaimedbaggage.com.
About Love Luggage®
Love Luggage® is a nonprofit initiative of Unclaimed Baggage. The program provides new, personalized suitcases to children in foster care, replacing the plastic bags often used during transitions with something that conveys dignity, care, and belonging. Through partnerships with local and national agencies, Love Luggage® has served thousands of children, offering a small but meaningful touch of hope during challenging moments in their lives.
About Society of Illustrators
Founded in 1901, the Society of Illustrators (SI), along with its Museum of Illustration, is the oldest nonprofit organization dedicated to the art of illustration in America. Our mission is to promote the art and appreciation of illustration, its history, and its evolving nature through exhibitions and education programs. Notable SI members have been N.C. Wyeth and Norman Rockwell, among others. Our museum, with its Permanent Collection of 3,500 pieces, is open to the public Wednesdays-Saturdays year-round. Through our exhibitions and hybrid programs, we serve approximately 55,000 people annually. To learn more about the Society, visit societyillustrators.org.
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SOURCE Unclaimed Baggage
