Nonprofit responds to wishes of local children

Foster Angels of Central Texas Foundation provides children in foster care in Region 7 of Child Protective Services, which includes Southwest Austin, with the things they need—as well as items from their wish lists—when all other resources have been exhausted, said Sarah Smith, the nonprofit's co-founder and a Southwest Austin resident.

Smith and her father, Ted Oakley, started the organization in 2010, she said. Oakley had established a similar organization, Foster Angels of South Texas, several years ago in his hometown of Corpus Christi to help children in foster care.

"I feel like all kids in foster care suffer in a lot of ways—some worse than others. People just don't know. They think everything's taken care of, and it's not," Smith said.

Families and caseworkers for children in foster care can submit requests for items, and Foster Angels works with donors and CPS to provide the items as soon as possible.

"You would be surprised at how many kids don't sleep in a bed," she said, noting beds are a frequent request. "When we get those requests, we take care of those immediately."

In addition to basic needs, the organization has given away homecoming dresses, shopping sprees, trips to summer camp and Christmas gifts. Liz Wilson, executive director, said Foster Angels builds self-esteem and reinforces to the children that they are cared for and supported by their community.

"The more support that they have, the more they can achieve," Wilson said.

In October, Austin-based chain Tiff's Treats celebrated the grand opening of its William Cannon Drive location by raising funds to benefit Foster Angels.

Tiff's Treats co-founder Leon Chen is on the Foster Angels board of directors.

"These children that are in foster care, their parents can't afford [items] such as contact lens solution or sheet music if they're in junior high band," he said, noting Foster Angels offers a way to bridge that gap.

Foster Angels' goal is to help 1,800 children by the end of this year, Wilson said.

"There is a large population of foster children that do live in Southwest Austin," she added.

What donations can buy for foster children

All donations go directly toward helping children in foster care through purchases of items such as those below. Donors can also purchase items or specify what they will buy.

$25: a child's birthday cake

$50: a bus pass

$150: clothing

$200: a bed or a driver's education course

$500: send a child to summer camp or on a trip

Source: Foster Angels of Central Texas Foundation

Holiday giving

Foster Angels of Central Texas Foundation is accepting donations for its second annual Toys for Teens Holiday Sponsorship Drive, which ends Dec. 13, Executive Director Liz Wilson said.

The organization sponsors 25 foster children in need, asks them to make wish lists and then purchases those items to donate to the child. Requests often include toys, new clothes and MP3 players, she said, noting the goal is to get every item on the lists.

Foster Angels board members and volunteers deliver the gifts to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, which in turn gives them to the foster families.

Members of the community can help by making monetary donations or purchasing and wrapping gifts for the children. Donations can be dropped off at Oxbow Advisors, 3520 Bee Caves Road, Ste. 125.

Basic items needed

In addition to holiday wish list items, the nonprofit seeks monetary donations to provide children with new items including:

• Bunk beds
• Car seats
• Cribs
• Gift cards ($100–$200) to H-E-B, Ross, Target or Walmart
• Toddler beds

Source: Foster Angels of Central Texas Foundation

Foster care facts

When children can't live safely at home and no appropriate noncustodial parent, relative or family friend is willing and able to care for them, the court can give temporary legal custody of the child to Child Protective Services, which temporarily places those children in foster care.

• 899: Children in foster care in Travis County
• 300+: age 2 and younger
• 181: ages 3 to 5
• 144: ages 14–17
• 600+ children were removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect in Travis County during fiscal year 2013.
• After removal, Travis County judges give a family a year to create a safe home for their children and make lifestyle changes.
• $23.10–$92.43 per day: Minimum amounts that a child-placing agency must reimburse its foster families for clients receiving services under a contract with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
• Nearly 50 percent: Number of adoptions of children in DFPS foster care that are by their foster families.
• November: National Adoption Month

Source: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, 2013 foster care statistics for Travis County

Foster Angels of Central Texas Foundation, P.O. Box 152575, Austin, TX, 78715, 512-732-2329, www.fosterangelsctx.org, Twitter: @FosterAngels