Adopt a Family
UPDATE: All 11 families have been matched with a sponsor for the wish list items. However, you can still participate by making a monetary donation that will provide the family with gift cards.
Support all of the families with Adopt a Family by making your donation HERE. These gifts will be distributed to the families as VISA and HEB gift cards.
Gifts large and small will help make this holiday season a joyous one for a family in need.
When you make a monetary donation to the Adopt a Family program, the total raised is divided equitability among the families and given in the form of Visa and HEB gift cards. This empowers the caregivers to do their shopping for the family and to be able to say "I bought this for you". Half of the funds go directly to the family in gift cards and half support families who are unable to afford services. As you may already know, a large portion of ACGC clients receive services at a reduced rate or at no cost. At ACGC, we believe all children and families should have access to quality care, not just those who can afford it. Your gift not only helps them through the holiday season but also through their journey of healing.
For many, the holiday season is a time of joy and celebration, but for others, it can also represent a time of stress and need for support. YOU can make a difference this holiday season by adopting a family with Austin Child Guidance Center.
ACGC has families who need your help. Families at ACGC are selected to participate and you make the holiday magic happen. Each family's story is shared below. New families are added weekly throughout November and December.
To sponsor a family wish list, please email Brittany Golden at Bgolden@austinchildguidance.org.
- We ask that all gifts be delivered to ACGC by Dec. 9th to allow time to coordinate a pick-up with the family.
- ACGC will provide the caregiver with wrapping paper so there is no need to wrap the gifts for the children, but please feel free to wrap the caregiver's gifts if you would like to.
- In addition to the items listed, here are some great gender-neutral ideas that would benefit many of the families:
- Winter hats, gloves, scarves, and socks
- Earbuds
- Blankets
- Gift cards (Amazon, Walmart, HEB, Target, VISA)
- Water bottles
- Arts and craft supplies
- Journal and pen
(1) Jacob - Matched with sponsor: IMEG Corp.
Jacob is a 13-year-old boy receiving services at ACGC. He lives with his mother who is a single parent. The mother works a part-time job to support her and her son. Jacob has experienced trauma including bullying at school. The family does not have much social support in the area, most of their family lives in a different city. They are living below the federal poverty level and are limited in many ways. This family would benefit from these items and any additional support we can offer, as they have expressed that finances are tight and the mother has had a lot of financial hardships in the past two years.
Jacob (13 yo): Wish - Airbrush Gun Kit for painting/drawing; Need - graphic/anime short-sleeve t-shirts (size Large)
Mother: Wish - movie tickets, candles, comfy blanket -- Need - grocery gift cards
(2) Julieta - Matched with sponsor
Julieta is 14 and lives with her 9-year-old brother, mother, and father. The family has experienced financial concerns from a change to their insurance which caused more out-of-pocket expenses. Despite the financial barriers, the family continues to provide a space to receive weekly counseling for their daughter who is dealing with depression. Julieta's parents first noticed concerns for their daughter when they began to see a shift in her mood and connection with the family. Julieta also recently transferred schools and has had a difficult time connecting with her peers. The family continues to support one another through communicating with one another and working to help with their daughters' depressive symptoms.
Julieta loves fantasy things like dragons and reading and asked for a book by the name of Endling the First.
Brother is active.
(3) Ava - Matched with sponsor: Terry Lebreton
Ava's parents died in March due to murder/suicide. Ava and her brother have since moved in with their aunt, uncle, and 2 cousins. This has been a tough transition for every member of the family for different reasons. Ava is showing signs of depression and anxiety due to grief and loss, as well as working through trauma she experienced when her parents were alive. The rest of the family has struggled with the adjustment and sudden changes to their family dynamic. They could use some extra love and support this holiday season.
Ava (female, 5); Brother (male, 15), cousin (female, 11); cousin (female, 15); Aunt (45) and Uncle (45)
Ava (5): Need - Tennis shoes size 11 kids; Wish - Kitty Slime
Brother (15): Need - marimba mallets; Wish - mallet percussion music book
Cousin (11): Need - crocks; Wish - shorts
Cousin (15): Need - steel water bottle; Wish - silver cross necklace
Aunt & Uncle: Need - mattress covers x 4, Target & Amazon Gift Cards
(4) Isabella - Matched with sponsor: Monica Saavedra
The family recently moved to Austin from Mexico. Father is learning English at UT at Austin with the hope of applying for a Master's degree. Mother is currently not working in order to learn how to navigate the new USA systems and provide care for their two girls, one of which is an ACGC client who has special needs. Isabella was diagnosed with ADHD, and there are concerns about other neurodevelopmental delays. The family does not have insurance and Mother is working toward accessing healthcare for the family and getting 504 services for Isabella. Their therapist is working to help the parents develop effective parenting strategies to address some of Isabella's more challenging behaviors and improve parent-child and sibling relationships.
Isabella - a Lion King book
Younger sister - roller skates 20 cm
Mother - blouse or shirt small
Father - medium shirt
(5) Anthony - Matched with sponsor: Young Men of Balconies
Anthony is a 10 years old boy who lives with his mom and older brother. Mom is an immigrant from Mexico with limited English ability. Mom works hard in a low-paying job to provide for her kids and prioritizes learning about taking care of her kids' mental health by bringing them to therapy. This family is hard-working and caring. Mom has been through a lot in her life and continues to dedicate herself to her sons. Help during the Holidays would be very meaningful for this family. The younger child has been requesting a computer for a long time, but the family has not had the means to purchase one.
Anthony (10): Wish - Chromebook, Need - Tiger blanket
Brother (16): Wish - Visa Gift Card; Need - Tiger Blanket
Mom: shoes, Women's size 7.5 tennis shoes/sneakers
(6) Sebastian - Matched with sponsor: The Hart Family
Sebastian is a 4-year-old boy who lives with his mother and his 2 siblings in Austin. Mom is a single mother and works part-time to support her family. The mother makes her kids a priority by bringing her son to therapy weekly and seeking out additional support to learn parenting skills. Mother has expressed it is financially difficult to make ends meet with three kids. The mother and client have improved their relationship and communication skills since starting therapy. This family would benefit from extra support during the holidays and would greatly appreciate any gifts/contributions that are provided.
Sebastian (4): Need tennis shoes size 9 or 10 in toddlers (likes blue/black) - Velcro shoes preferable; Wish marvel figurines (black panther, captain America, spiderman) or anything paw patrol
Brother (13): Need tennis shoes (size 11 or 11.5 wide feet), likes Levi or Nautica brand (something slip on no shoe lace); Wish - gift card for gaming (video games) or fortnight gift card to buy a game
Sister (11): Need tennis shoes (size 7 or 7.5), color - likes black, Wish squishmellow (Stitch from Lilo and Stich)
Mom: Need tennis shoes for work, something with memory foam/cushion (Size 8.5); Wish - paper shredder to shred important documents, hand mixer for baking and cooking
(7) Liana - Matched with sponsor: The Giving Club
Liana is a 12-year-old girl who lives with her mom, brother (7), sister (18), and grandmother. Mom works as an Early Education Teacher, raising all 3 kids on her own, and is the caregiver for her mother. Mom is a dedicated parent and works hard to prioritize family time and take her kids hiking and camping. Mom also prioritizes her kids' mental health. This family has struggled financially as mom is a caregiver for many people. They would greatly appreciate your support during the holidays.
Liana (12): Wish - wireless earphones, Need - running shoes size 8.5.
Sister (18): Wish - Black High Top Converse Shoes Size 9 womens, Need - gift card for clothes.
Brother (7): Want - Large RC truck, Need - boys clothes size 8.
Mom: Want - Starbucks Gift Card, Need - gift card to buy work pants.
(8) Ricky - Matched with sponsor: Elizabeth Mendoza
Ricky (5-year-old boy) and his brother live the majority of the time with their mom. Mom is an immigrant from Cuba who works the night shift in a manual labor position to provide for her kids. The kids have struggled with the recent separation and divorce of their parents and changes in their family. Despite these challenges, their mom prioritizes her kids' mental well-being and sought out therapy to help them understand the changes in the family. This family could really use the extra support during the holidays.
Ricky (5): Wish - Dinosaur Egg Toy, Toy Food/Kitchen Set
Brother (8): Wish - Hot Wheels Parking Garage, Pokemon Cards
Mom: Wish - Instant Pot/Crock Pot, Need - Visa Gift Card
(9) Kristina - Matched with sponsor
Kristina is a 9-year-old girl who lives with her mom and 4 older sisters. Mom is a single mom of 5 girls and works very hard to provide for her family and be a devoted mother to each of her children. The family has been through some very difficult trauma and has experienced a lot of chaos. Mom is very dedicated to her children's well-being and makes many sacrifices to make sure her kids are getting the care and support that they need. Christina has struggled with trauma and stress in the family, but their mom is patient and loving. The family lives with mom's parents and finances are a struggle. Despite this hardship, mom is a dedicated volunteer at her church. Support during the holidays would be very meaningful for this family.
Kristina: loves dolls and clothes for her dolls or blanket (size 9/10 clothes & 7 in shoes),
Sister (11): loves dolls and loves drawing and journaling or blanket (size 14-16 clothes & 8.5 shoes),
Sister (14): loves makeup and lotions and blankets (size 12/13 clothes 7.5/8 in shoes),
Sister (16) loves jewelry and blankets (size 16-17 in clothes & 8.5/9 in shoes),
Sister (17): loves drawing and Blankets (size 17/18 in clothes & 9 in shoes),
Mom: loves candles and blankets
(10) Sophia - Matched with sponsor
Sophia is 9-year-old girl who lives with her brother (8) and their mom. Mom is an immigrant from Mexico and is in the process of coming out of a harmful marriage. The family has also been through trauma in the past and had to move several times and go through many changes. Mom is a very strong and dedicated parent. Mom sought support for her daughter when mom got worried that her daughter was being very hard on herself and withdrawing. The family has been through many changes and difficulties and mom has always found a way to prioritize her children above all else. A few extra gifts and love over the holidays would be wonderful for this family.
Sophia (9): Any toy/stuffed animal of Stitch from Lilo and Stitch,
Brother (8): Any toy/stuffed animal of Stitch from Lilo and Stitch,
Mom: candle
(11) Nick - Matched with sponsor: Mary and Steve Knight
Nick is a 9-year-old boy who lives with his 6-year-old brother and their mom. Although separated mom helps support dad in addition to taking care of both kids. Mom takes time off every week to bring both kids to therapy. Both kids are struggling in school and mom continually goes above and beyond looking for resources to help her children. This has been a hard financial year for the family are appreciate any support. This family and the children would greatly appreciate a special reminder they are cared for.
Nick (9): Wish - 32-inch smart tv, Need - school uniform pants size 14 husky (black or navy)
Brother (6): Wish - 20" bike, Need - underwear size M boys
Dad: Wish - stranger things denim jacket XXL, Need - closet organizer
Mom: Wish - record player, Need - 4 drawer dresser
