"For years, my husband and I felt called to help children in foster care, but never felt called to be foster parents. We wanted to help with our time and resources in a real, meaningful, and long term way. We have volunteered with various organizations over the years, but were looking for an opportunity to serve children in foster care hands-on with our daughter (who was eight at the time) as a family. I heard about Austin Angels through a friend who served on the board. It sounded like the perfect fit for us. We joined their Love Box program and were matched with sweet Mary almost immediately.
Mary was originally placed with a family at our daughter's school. We loved getting to know them. I asked the foster mom how our family could serve theirs. Due to the complexities of who can babysit foster kids, date nights with her husband were a luxury that seemed unreachable. I worked to become certified to babysit so Mary’s foster parents could have a few precious hours per month together to catch up.
My family loved our time with Mary. Her and my daughter loved to play store, dress up, and play outside. We would sometimes go to her house, or sometimes she would come over to ours. Mary’s foster family moved during our early time with Austin Angels, and a couple of times we dropped off dinner for them so they could focus on their move. It was such a blessing to not only get to know Mary, but also her wonderful foster parents and brothers."
"ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF AUSTIN ANGELS I LOVE MOST IS THAT IT SERVES THEWHOLE FOSTER FAMILY, AS FOSTER CARE AFFECTS THEM ALL."
"Mary was suddenly moved to a new foster family after almost a year, and we followed her there and now support her new foster family and two biological sisters. We have enjoyed getting to know her sisters and new family as well. The older sisters have both been adopted since we’ve met and the foster parents are in the process of trying to adopt Mary as well. It has been fun trying to think of activities to engage an 18-year-old, a 16-year-old and a 5-year-old! We have enjoyed fishing as families, playing in the park, making at-home movie buckets with movies and snacks, bringing over lunch, going to dinner, giving them water park passes, and so many other fun things for them to make happy memories as a family and for our family to get to know them all better. We have loved showing up for Mary consistently over the past two years, attending her pre-school graduation, a cheer competition, or just a playdate in the park. I love Austin Angels because it gives those of us called to help foster children, but not be a foster family, the opportunity to really serve and support a foster family. My family is thankful for our time."
