There’s a reason for the season, and generally, it’s centered around love, caring, and respect for your fellow man. Partnerships for Children takes this further than the words themselves, and they focus their efforts on a year-round operation as opposed to once annually. For 14 years, this Lone Star State non-profit has been providing critical resources to abused and neglected children in central Texas. In addition to their regular service contingent, however, they’ve also been making the holiday season a little bit brighter for kids in the care of Child Protective Services. They do so through their Holiday Wishes program.
To meet the needs of their program participants, Partnerships for Children is in need of additional donations between now and Sunday, December 9. They not only feel, like many of their supporters, that every child deserves the basics that we often take for granted, but also that they too have special wishes that would be a blessing to have fulfilled. Their Holiday Wishes program allows each child in the care of Child Protective Services to submit three specific wishes that are fulfilled through the generosity and support of businesses and individuals in the Texas Hill Country.
Photo: Facebook/Partnerships for Children
In an effort to make their Holiday Wishes come true, each gift is wrapped and given to each child’s caseworker in order to be delivered by Christmas. To do so, donations are needed this year by December 9, in order to ensure efficient and effective delivery. (Hey, even Santa Claus has help from an entire team of elves and reindeer! Likewise, Partnerships for Children relies on the assistance of benevolent community and business partners for the same goal). Approximately 58% of the 5,000 children who are served by the Holiday Wishes program are already sponsored, but this year, there are an additional 1,500 wishlists which are expected to come during this last week of the program. To date, approximately 35% of the unfulfilled sponsorships are for teenagers, as teens don’t tend to get sponsored as often as the little kids do. If you could recall where you, yourself, were as a teen, perhaps you too could find it in your heart to relate.
Photo: Public Domain Pictures
What types of Holiday Wishes are being fulfilled? One young lady simply requested a pair of medical shoes because of suffering a bone disease that causes her to limp. A pair of elementary-age sisters requested name-brand clothing because they had never had their own new clothes. It may sound selfless; it may be something so basic, but to the intended recipient, it’s a true blessing. You would likely be surprised at the items these children think about or want. In the process of completing these requests, businesses and individual donors have worked with Partnerships for Children. Donors such as Affinipay (a financial technology company based in Austin) have helped to touch the hearts of these youngsters. Through both a monetary donation as well as volunteering this month, their organization is enriching these children’s lives. But, you don’t have to be a large company to help out. One adoptive mom in Texas decided she was going to sponsor a child in an effort to pass on the importance to her own family of giving and caring over the holidays. And individual donors such as her are not the exception to the rule!
Photo: Good Free Photos
It’s very easy to help and offers to do so aren’t declined. In 2017, 5,200 wishes were able to be fulfilled. In 2018, with your assistance, Partnerships for Children is hoping to increase that number. In order to become involved, you can opt to sponsor a child, become an ambassador (being the liaison for a group of people wishing to sponsor), drop off a gift, or make a monetary donation. All the information you’ll need to become involved in the Holiday Wishes program is available at the link provided here. For more information on the Partnerships for Children program and everything it works to accomplish throughout the year, please visit their website link provided here. It’s all about making the magic of the holidays a reality for those who need it most – the children.
