hen Spring resident Kirstyn Jackson, 11, was taken from her mother in 2010 and put into foster care, Houston Texans player Jon Weeks took Kirstyn and other children on a shopping spree and told them what many would love to hear: they could buy whatever they wanted.

Kirstyn chose a drawing and painting kit because she loves to create art. But what she really wanted after she was adopted by her grandparents, Velvet and Shannon Philpot, was to turn Weeks’ idea into an annual tradition of her own. She made up her mind to help other children in foster care enjoy a shopping spree.

In 2015, Kirstyn decided to take 10 kids shopping with $300 she had saved up doing chores.

“We asked my family to donate money, and then we got to $1,300,” she said. “Then we asked everybody else we could on the internet, and then we got $8,000.”

Kirstyn’s Krew was born, a nonprofit fundraiser that offers foster kids a chance to have a shopping spree of their own. The money Kirstyn’s Krew raised in 2015 was enough to fulfill the wish lists of 52 Houston-area children.

Kirstyn’s grandmother organizes the fundraisers and contacts agencies in the area, such as Child Advocates, Child Protective Services and DePelchin Children’s Center, to advise them of the efforts of the organization. Philpot said she will let the groups know before December how many children Kirstyn’s Krew will be able to take on the 2016 spree, depending on how much money is raised.

“This year we’re going to work with Arrow Ministries on FM 2920, and we’ll invite them depending on how many kids we can accommodate, and work again with CPS, Child Advocates and DePelchin,” Philpot said.

In 2016, the goal is to take 100 kids to Target or another local store, she said.

Kirstyn said her science teacher at Schindewolf Intermediate School has been pitching in with the Kirstyn’s Krew efforts.

“All of the students have been donating,” she said.

Philpot said a future goal for Kirstyn’s Krew is to eventually add homeless children to the list.

Kirstyn said last year the kids chose practical items to buy, such as shoes and clothes, and some picked out food items. She is hoping more kids choose toys and “good stuff” this year.

When asked how long she would like to continue Kirstyn’s Krew, her answer is a source of chagrin for her grandmother.

“Until I’m very old—until I’m like 50,” she said.

Kirstyn said she knows what would still be on her wish list this year if someone offered to take her on a shopping spree: “More drawing stuff.”