More than 5,000 Central Texas children will have something to open Christmas morning thanks to Holiday Wishes,a program of the non-profit organization Partnerships for Children.
"It's easy to look the other way or not understand it until they meet a child in foster care, and these are children just like any other children. They are in care because of abuse and neglect, and they are just as deserving as any other child," said Megan Ransom, an adoptive mother.
But children in the care of Child Protective Services can sometimes feel uncertain during the holiday season. Will Santa remember them?
In the Holiday Wishes program, each child gives three wishes to their caseworker, and the caseworker submits the list. The children are matched with donors in the community to fill the wishes, and the caseworkers are able to deliver the presents.
"It all goes back to making these kids feel like every other child. So their gifts go right under the tree like Santa brought them," said Marcus Cantu of Partnerships for Children.
Volunteers have been tagging and sorting already donated gifts to make sure each child receives what they wished for.
It's not too late to sponsor a specific child, donate toys or give a monetary donation that will be used to fill the wishes that haven't been granted yet.
"Once you see the kids and you know the need. It's so hard not to be affected by that and the fact that these are just children like any other," said Ransom.
