Help a child Today!

Donate Monthly

No matter the season, the need never ends for children in the foster care system. Your recurring monthly donation allows us to provide resources, shelter and support services for youth in the Texas foster care system.

Help A Child Today!

No matter the season, the need never ends for children in the foster care system. Your donation allows us to provide resources, shelter and support services for youth in the Texas foster care system.

Sponsor A Child

Hope Pack is often the first thing to provide comfort to a child on what is often the worst day of his, her or their life. You can help make sure that every child who is entering the foster care system in Texas has a fresh start by sponsoring Hope Packs for babies, children and teens in care. 

Carrying Hope Programs

Carrying Hope is Changing the Narrative for Youth in Foster Care

Hair + Hope Program

The Hair + Hope program helps to fulfill the frequently neglected basic needs of African-American and biracial youths in foster care while also supporting and fully compensating stylists from predominately Black-, woman-owned salons who share their time and talent to support youths in care.

Our Hair + Hope program partners and fully compensates local stylists who are experts in textured hair with African American and biracial youth in the foster care system in desperate need of hair care services. Since its initiation, our Hair + Hope program has benefitted more than 100 youths in foster care.

Hope’s Home

Did you know that more than half of youths who age out of the foster care system become homeless within two years? Hope’s Home, our transitional housing project for youths who are aging out of the foster care system, combats this devastating scenario by providing young people ages 18-21 with housing, support, and wrap-around case management services, allowing them not only to have a place to sleep but also gain access to jobs, school, medical care, and more. 

Make a Hope Pack

Carrying Hope’s Hope Packs –– backpacks brimming with comfort items and essentials designed to meet the needs of newborns through teens during the first 24-48 hours in foster care –– offer comfort and peace during a moment of crisis. Since 2016, our Hope Packs and programs have impacted the lives of nearly 30,000 youth and families in the Texas foster care system, transforming a once heartbreaking situation into a transition that begins with hope and healing.

Request a Hope Pack

If you are an agency or a caregiver in need of Hope Packs, we are here to help!

How to Get Involved

Find the best way to support Carrying Hope

Participate in one of Carrying Hope’s Annual Events

Summer 2024

Carrying Hope's Annual Summer Drives

In honor of our 8th anniversary of becoming a 501c3 nonprofit, Carrying Hope is splashing into summer with two very special events!

On July 30 and July 31, we are treating 100 incredible foster youth living in local shelters, residential treatment centers, and homes to an unforgettable day of summer fun-in-the-sun at Typhoon Texas Austin and Typhoon Texas Houston. Each kiddo will be provided with full-day admission and fast passes, a catered lunch and unlimited drinks, and a $50 gift card to purchase back-to-school clothing so he/she/they can enter the new school year with a little extra confidence and style. Please consider supporting these deserving kids –– this day will be a highlight of their summer and provide a fun memory they will cherish for years to come!

Want to be an event sponsor? Email [email protected].

Want to donate a back-to-school gift card or waterpark experience for one of these incredible kids? Click the links below!

Donate in Austin
Donate in Houston

Thank you so much for your support in helping Carrying Hope celebrate our 8th year of providing hope and comfort to children in foster care!

December 2024

Hope For the Holidays

From the twinkling lights that set entire streets aglow to the nostalgic holiday tunes that fill grocery and department stores, there’s no season quite as magical as the holidays. But for youth in the foster care system who are residing in local shelters and residential treatment centers and spending the holidays without families, this time of year can be dark and lonely. 

Carrying Hope has wonderful ways that you can help make the holidays merry and bright for foster children this holiday season!

Volunteer in Austin

Volunteer in Houston

Interested in becoming a delivery driver?

Sign up to become a driver for the Austin, Houston or Central Texas area.

Sign up here!

Volunteer Driver
Name
Name
First
Last

Gender-Inclusive Hope Packs

Carrying Hope strives to ensure that our Hope Packs contain a range of items that reflect the diversity and interests of the children we serve, including those who are part of the LGBTQ community. Want to make a gender-inclusive Hope Pack? Purchase items from our Inclusive Wishlist or swap gender-specific items for gender-neutral items in any age Hope Pack.  

Make A Donation

Mission Impact

Carrying Hope's mission is to improve the lives of youth and families who have been impacted by the foster care system through resources, support services, housing, and enrichment opportunities. Since 2016, our Hope Packs and programs have impacted the lives of nearly 30,000 youth and families in the Texas foster care system, transforming a once heartbreaking situation into a transition that begins with hope and healing.

Hope Pack Distributions YOY
  • 550 Hope Packs in 2016
  • 1200 Hope Packs in 2017
  • 1563 Hope Packs in 2018
  • 2700 Hope Packs in 2019
  • 4010 Hope Packs in 2020
  • 5000 Hope Packs in 2021
  • 6000 Hope Packs in 2022
  • 8,238 Hope packs in 2023

Hope Packs Distributed to Children in Foster Care

Hope Packs Distributed Every Day in 2023

$ Spent Directly on Foster Care Children

In 2023, Carrying Hope:

  • Invested approximately $20,000 dollars into our Hair + Hope program, providing 70 youths with hair care services they desperately deserved.
  • Provided 200 youths living in shelters and spending the holidays without families with gift cards, wishlist items and memorable parties and outings.
  • Treated 100 foster youth in the Austin and Houston areas to a full day of waterpark and splashy fun while gifting them $100 gift cards to go back-to- school shopping.
  • In 2023, our Hope Packs impacted 8,238 foster youth and the families caring for them in Texas.

How You Can Help

Carrying Hope is always in need of volunteers willing to help serve our mission and further our cause. From large-scale corporate events that create hundreds of Hope Packs at a time to community drives to family service projects, there are plenty of ways for you to get involved. 

Get Involved

Hope Pack is often the first thing to provide comfort to a child on what is often the worst day of his, her or their life. You can help make sure that every child who is entering the foster care system in Texas has a fresh start by sponsoring Hope Packs for babies, children and teens in care. 

Here are three of our most popular ways to help:

THE “HOPE ALL YEAR” GIFT: $600

Your gift of $600 will provide Hope Packs to more than a half-dozen children who are entering the foster care system.

THE “SIBLING HOPE” GIFT: $200

Your gift of $200 will provide Hope Packs for a sibling group that is entering the foster care system.

THE “CLASSIC HOPE” GIFT:$85

Your gift of $85 will provide 1 Hope Pack to a child who is entering the foster care system.

Sponsor A Child

No matter the season, the need never ends for children in the foster care system. Your recurring monthly donation allows us to provide ongoing support in the form of Hope Packs and most-needed items to the children, youth and teens who need it most. 

Short on time? Purchase a Hope Pack! Every pack is brimming with adorable comfort items and essentials for a child entering the foster care system, providing them with some much-needed comfort and hope in a moment of crisis.

Purchase A Hope Pack

Carrying Hope is thrilled to have a larger-than-life mascot, Hope the Hedgehog, who adores spending time with children and adults alike! You’ll frequently see her making new friends, passing out stickers and collecting Hope Pack items at Carrying Hope events. She’s also available for birthday parties, office visits and more!

Testimonials

“A young teen was moving for the fourth time in 7 months. This time away from the only community she knew since moving to the United States. This time hours away from her CASA support system. She was shocked at the number of things that fit into a Hope Pack from Carrying Hope. She loved that the backpack was elegant, not a kid’s backpack. She really liked the pink blanket. This time was the first time she brought belongings to a new placement, instead of having a list of her own belongings that were not given to take with her. This time she would not wait over 2 months to have more than a few changes of clothes and one pair of shoes. Thank you, Carrying Hope, for seeing the needs of our CASA kids and caring enough to fill that hole.”
Cecilia MacKay, Child Advocacy Specialist for CASA of Travis County

Testimonials

"In Bell County alone, we've had an increase of over 100 children being investigated by Child Protective Services in the last month, so the numbers are just going up. These Hope Packs help so much because when CPS workers have to bring a child into care in an emergency situation, they go through our Rainbow Rooms and immediately go and grab these Hope Packs relative to the child's age and bring it with them as a child is removed and placed so that children have everything they need for the first 24-48 hours. You have no idea how much we appreciate these Hope Packs — thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Sandra Blankenship, Bell County Child Welfare Board

Testimonials

“Just placed a 10-day-old baby girl. She came with absolutely nothing (not even formula) and one of the diaper bags you guys donated was a lifesaver for her and the foster family! Thank you and all the donors so much for your hard work — you are meeting a huge need!”
– Grace Kelsoe, Helping Hand Home case manager

Testimonials

“I just wanted to thank you guys for helping yesterday go more smoothly and make my kiddos feel more comfortable. The Hope Packs you guys had ready for them when they arrived were wonderful!!!”  – Bonnie Rushing, BSW, CPS Specialist IV

Testimonials

“We placed a sibling group of three this week, ages 1, 2 and 6. They didn’t come with any of their belongings and we were able to use your Hope Packs to help them feel welcome and comforted. Thank you!”  – Kristi Duck, Helping Hand Home

Testimonials

 “Hello, I am not sure what to call the wonderful bags you recently brought to our office recently for children who come into care.  We have used the gifts you gave us and I wanted to say how amazing the bags are.  They are perfect and give a sense of healing and sure hope.  It is wonderful to have this resource to take out to new children when they are coming in.  I recently went to an intake at 1:30 AM and the items in the bag were so good and needed.  I thank you so much for the care put into each bag for every child. We are honored by these gift bags and how it has helped us help children.”— Sheila Falco, Angelheart Children

Testimonials

“We recently had a newborn placed whose parents were homeless and using drugs. They didn’t have any clothes for him at the hospital and he came in the middle of the night so the foster parents were extremely grateful for a Hope Pack with bottles, diapers and clothes for a little bitty baby.”  – Grace Kelsoe, Helping Hand Home

Testimonials

“He loved the backpack full of goodies you brought for him. I know he really appreciated those things. He would sleep with the little flashlight and the cute pup.”  – A local foster mom who received a Hope Pack for a little boy placed in her home

Testimonials

“Our kids love the Hope Packs!  The foster parents and case managers say their faces light up when they get them. One little guy pulled each item out one at a time and asked, “this is mine?”.  Some if our kids have never had items that are brand new before they came into care.  We had one kid want to keep the packaging! Thanks for all you do!” – Keri Cooper, A World For Children

Testimonials

“I recently had the privilege of giving one of these bags to a young child who came to his new foster home with only the clothes he was wearing. The only toy he had from his birth home was a Ninja Turtle stick. We opened the bag, and he was so excited to find Ninja Turtle pajamas and a nightlight, Star Wars toothbrush, a car, a soft blanket and several other items, just for him!”  – Carol Strychalski, The SAFE Alliance Foster & Adopt Program

Testimonials

“Over the last 12 months I have had 11 children placed in my home. Of those children, only six came with any personal possessions at all. Of those, four had their belongings in a black trash bag. What you do is extremely important, and I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart.” – William, foster parent

Testimonials

“On Saturday, we got a 2-year-old who was living in a tent. His parents were cooking methamphetamines, so all of his clothes had to be thrown away. We gave him a Hope Pack and he had toys and clothes and everything he needed. He especially loved a little fox stuffed animal.”  – Grace Kelsoe, Helping Hand Home

Testimonials

 “I wanted to thank you again for the Hope Pack donations you provided. They made placement really great for two of our kids. The kids were super excited to get the backs and were even more excited when they saw that there were Legos and a Batman figure in them. The child that got the Batman figure LOVES Batman, so it was extra special to him.” – Aaron Oeser, DePelchin Children’s Center Austin

Testimonials

“My son and I went shopping this morning for a 4-year-old boy. I am really proud of him. He picked out the things he liked but never asked if he could have one. And as soon as we got home, he put everything out and packed up the backpack.” – Erica Green, Hope Pack drive volunteer

Testimonials

“Receiving a Hope Pack with a child has provided our family a few extra days to just focus on the child before needing to go and pick up extra supplies. We have been blessed to be able to help and aid several children on their journey and knowing that when they arrive to our home they are accompanied by a Hope Pack full of love and comforts gives us and the child a sense that their needs will be met.” – Courtney Choffin, foster parent

Testimonials

One case manager reported that the new kids were so excited about receiving them and the kids already in the home said “Oh I loved my bag”.  As I mentioned before, one of our families got a placement in the middle of the night and then were at our office as soon as we opened so that they could give the new kids their special bag.  We are so appreciative – we sometimes have bags with some supplies but it wasn’t consistent so some kids got great stuff while other kids got very limited items so having such beautiful bags for every child consistently has been so supportive! – Keri A Cooper, LPC-S Clinical Director at A World for Children

Testimonials

“We started a partnership with Carrying Hope this year to distribute Hope Packs through our Rainbow Room and cannot say enough about how grateful we are for them. The children we serve love them and are always happy to receive their own backpack with a fun toy inside that always brings a smile to their face. Our caseworkers love them because of the ease and accessibility of them; when they are rushing to make sure a child is safe, they can quickly grab a Hope Pack knowing that it will have the items the child needs. Thank you to Carrying Hope for everything you have done for the children we serve!” –  Marcus Cantu, Partnerships for Children

Testimonials

I was able to speak with a few of our case managers about the packs. They told me about two young girls who were recently placed who received your packs (are ages 11 and 9). They came into care with very little and they were very excited about everything in their packs! The items were age appropriate and contained a variety of items the girls loved. They were especially excited about the books and nail polish. I’m certain that these packs made an impact on their ability to feel safe and cared for in their new home.  – Amanda Angell, Upbring Volunteer/Stewardship Coordinator