Kirstyn's Krew doubles its fundraising, takes 110 foster kids to Target

[caption id="attachment_218241" align="aligncenter" width="754"] The nonprofit raised enough money this past December to invite 110 kids to Target.[/caption]

This past December, in its second year, Kirstyn’s Krew exceeded its fundraising goal and was able to invite 110 area foster children on a shopping spree.

The original goal this year for Kirstyn’s Krew, a nonprofit fundraiser that offers foster kids a holiday shopping spree, was to double the amount from 2015 to raise enough to invite 100 foster kids on a shopping trip. This time, the nonprofit raised more than $20,000 and was able to invite 110 children.

“A lot of kids got clothes and socks and underwear,” Kirstyn’s Krew founder—who turns 12 this week—Kirstyn Jackson said. “Target was having a sale on boots, so a lot of girls bought boots, and so did some of the boys.”

The shopping trip took place at Target on Cypresswood Drive on Dec. 13 over the course of four trips to the store, said Velvet Philpot, the nonprofit’s organizer and Kirstyn’s grandmother.

Jon Weeks, the person who inspired Kirstyn when she was a foster child herself, and Nick Novak of the Houston Texans attended one of the trips, Philpot said.

“Boys wanted drones, and we were able to get some,” Kirstyn said. “This one little girl got a basket of toys, and she kept hugging me."

In its first year in 2015, Kirstyn’s Krew raised enough to invite 52 kids. For 2017, the nonprofit would like to raise $22,000, Philpot said. Already, a Houston-area pizzeria has donated $1,000 to start off the campaign.

“This one teenager boy—he was tall—was so excited because he got a laptop,” Kirstyn said. “He didn’t even wait until he got home to open it. He said it was the best day of his life.”