​A few years ago, Beverly became the caregiver and legal guardian of six of her grandchildren. The kids had been through a lot of trauma and various living arrangements, and were now all living with Beverly.

Beverly was referred to Austin Angels in 2018. Soon thereafter, she was introduced to her Love Box Leader, Caitlin, and a new group of passionate "Team Beverly" volunteers. Beverly recalls Caitlin and Max meeting her family for the first time, going in for a hug, and feeling an instant connection with them, "when the kids met them for the first time they loved them, it's like they are our family now." This support network got busy making sure that Beverly felt heard and supported, that her kids were loved on, and that the family could stay together.

​Each month, Ed and Martha go visit their Love Box family to show any type of support they can - whether that's bringing them essential items, toys for the kids, or providing a listening ear. Ed and Martha are showing consistent support.

 We believe that when children and youth experiencing foster care are matched with committed volunteers who continuously show up for them and their caregivers, their sense of purpose and belonging begins to increase, and they are able to begin to dream BIGGER about all that they can become.⁠

​Rebecca Kelly is a mentor in our Dare to Dream program to an aged-out youth named Cheyenne. Shortly after being matched, Cheyenne graduated high school. Busy with three jobs but full of hopes and dreams, Cheyenne knew she wanted to go to college and Rebecca was ready to support her every step of the way.

Rebecca has experienced firsthand the obstacles of applying for college. She offered all her wisdom during the application process to eliminate as much anxiety as possible. Every hangout, she and Cheyenne would sit in front of the computer and fill out forms, look up classes, and schedule meetings with advisors. With the help of Taylor, the Austin Angels Case Manager, (link her bio page), Cheyenne was provided a laptop and school supplies, empowering her in her education.

Cheyenne is motivated and responsible, working hard in her employment and caring for her dog. Rebecca is a nursing student, busy with her studies. Through consistent support, Rebecca and Cheyenne have built a genuine friendship full of mutual appreciation. Whether it's sitting in front of a computer waiting for classes to open up, or simply sending each other uplifting messages, the two are woven beautifully into each other's lives.

It’s no secret––2020 has not been what any of us expected! In light of this, we have pivoted in many ways, and are continuing to brainstorm new ways to accomplish our mission in the new world we are living in. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we quickly pivoted to virtual and socially distanced volunteering / mentoring and have been overjoyed to see our volunteers show up in new, safe, and creative ways for the youth and families we serve. In fact, today we are serving more children and families than ever, and have over 500 children and youth waiting to be matched in our programs.

Each year we host an annual gala. For obvious reasons this can no longer take place – so we decided to get creative and host our first-ever Angel Give-A-Thon, which we are kicking off on December 1st, Giving Tuesday! We invite you to make a donation December 1-3 and help make an impact in the lives of children, youth, and families experiencing foster care.

Our goal for this Give-A-Thon is to not only make up the funds lost from not having our annual gala this year, but supersede it, so that we can:

• Continue to serve children and families by meeting practical needs and fulfilling emergent requests.
• Reach more children than ever with opportunities for health, healing, normalcy, stability, relationships, mentorship, and extracurricular activities–so that they feel supported and empowered to reach their fullest potential.
• Serve more families than ever with community, financial and emotional support, and resources, so they feel encouraged and equipped to continue fostering.

Visit our donation page to make a contribution toward the Give-A-Thon and help us meet our goals and better serve the foster care community.

"It was hard because you never really know what's going to happen. It's something you can't prepare for. They tell you that they could leave at any moment." –– Nika, foster mom⁠
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As #NationalReunificationMonth comes to a close, we wanted to introduce you to another one of the many parents in our program who is giving children a safe place to call home, and giving biological parents time to make the changes necessary to make their family whole again.⁠
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Nika's fostering journey began when she was handed a precious newborn baby, only two days old.⁠ "They were like, 'here you go!' and I was pretty shocked. The journey was amazing. I couldn't believe they gave me such a precious little thing.”⁠

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Fostering can feel overwhelming and chaotic. Welcoming a new foster placement is often an unpredictable experience, and parents may have as little as hours of warning before the child's arrival. Many foster parents do not know details about the child such as gender, age, how many children need placing, how many belongings they are coming with, and/or what the child's health and medical needs are. Working parents may have to adjust their work schedules with little to no notice, and quickly plan for childcare assistance.⁠
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So how can you support a foster parent who has just welcomed a child (of any age) into their home? ⁠
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💙Offer to cover practical items such as paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, paper plates and cleaning supplies, which saves the parents time and money spent on errands.⁠
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💙If the child is an infant or a toddler - offer to purchase general baby items such as diapers, wipes, outfits and pajamas, and bath needs.⁠
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💙Purchase gift cards to Amazon or Walmart, so they can expect convenient delivery right to their door.⁠
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💙Help with meals - most new parents would gladly welcome assistance in planning and preparing their next meals.⁠
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Not everyone is called to foster or adopt, but we all CAN do something to support the people who do. Click the link in our bio to start supporting a caregiver near you!⁠