Christmas at PCHAS

This Christmas is looking a bit different than usual, but that hasn't stopped dedicated churches, organizations and individual donors from thinking about our clients during the holidays and we want to share all of the creative ways they are making the magic happen!

If you or your church or organization would like to get involved and help children and families in need this Christmas, you can contact your local development officer or give online.                               

                                                                

First Presbyterian Church of Wichita Falls is a longitme supporter of our foster care program. When Bidde Hetherington realized that members could not shop in person and could not attend church, she came up with something new. She asked the worship committee to contribute the cost of the annual poinsettia display to PCHAS. The choir, too, converted their usual donation of poinsettias to a gift to PCHAS. Thank you for remembering the families in our care! 

This crew, led by PCHAS Ambassador NIkki Short, gathered Christmas gifts for 18 of our Child and Family Program children in Wichita Falls, TX.  They filled our cargo van with the most wonderful gifts to grant the wish of each of our precious children

Employees of Hunting Titan of Milford, TX filled a cargo van with everything from baby dolls to bikes and winter clothing. These gifts will delight 33 children in Itasca and in the Child and Family programs in Keller and Lubbock.  (Pictured: Kathy Dodson of PCHAS (left) and Joanie Bishop of Hunting Titan.)

New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Lubbock contacted PCHAS, asking what they could do for families and children in need. They gave pajamas and slippers for 12 kids in Lubbock.  

United Presbyterian in Cleburne provided pajamas and slippers for all 55 kids on the Waxahachie and Itasca campuses, plus two young adults in Transitional Living. This was the first year for the amazing generosity and outpouring of warmth from this fantastic congregation.

Leslie and Tom Poole drove all the way to our Foster Care Village in Itasca to deliver a truck load of Christmas presents for our children and youth.  The huge bags were filled with the Christmas wishes and clothing from this generous congregation who have been making the trek for decades to bring comfort and joy.

The Whitney Rascals Car Club from Hill County, TX doing a drove through the campus in their classic cars on the 5th. Our kids stood outside and waved with gratitude for the gifts and goodies that were dropped off.

The Guardians of the Children roared onto our Itasca Foster Care Village Campus in Itasca campus last Saturday morning. It was a beautiful fall day. They brought big shiny bags filled with games, puzzles, toys and sweet treats, and every child received a fuzzy new teddy bear. The kids waved and shouted greetings in front of their homes while the motorcycles circled the campus three times. There is just something about the sound a Harley makes that is so stimulating and fun. Everyone wore masks and socially distanced and still had a great time.

Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Bedford, TX usually provides a party in December for our kids in Itasca’s Foster Care Village. This year the church members are dropping off presents and goodies and “Zooming” with some of the children, too.

Ken Maynard with Oak Hills Presbyterian Church dropped off gifts for the kids in our San Antonio programs. 

Longtime PCHAS supporters Forest Hills Presbyterian Church gathered gifts for our clients in residential care on our San Antonio campus.

Rev. Katy Walters of New Braunfels Presbyterian Church (right) dropped off a load of gifts for children at our San Antonio programs. The church has a long history of helping children in PCHAS' care and we are so thankful!

St. Philip Presbyterian Church provided handmade quilts and crocheted baby blankets to provide comfort and warmth to children in our care. 

We are so thankful for Bethel Presbyterian Church's generosity and the way they support the children and families in our care.

The Houston Young Lawyer's Association (HYLA) collected toys and other goods for about 60 children in foster care.  

Greta Hauschel, Girl Scout (Troop 28302) and member of Southminster Presbyterian Church, picked up, organized and delivered two truckloads of gifts from Southminster to our office for 60 kids for part of her Silver Award service project.

Thanks to several churches, including Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church, we were able to hold a curbside pickup for our foster care and adoption families! The families were even able to shop for extra gifts thanks to the overwhelming generosity.

Several of our church partners in North and East Texas were able to fill the needs of almost 75 children from our new Growing Together program in Corsicana through our Angel Trees and give them a bright Christmas. 

Rev. Becca Weaver Longino of New Covenant Fellowship Austin brought goodies to our Austin office for us to distribute to kids in our Austin area program.

Adam Crawford, foster care and adoption program director in Austin, is all smiles behind his mask after receiving a plethora of gifts for our wonderful partner Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church!

In Missouri, the Cameo Club is a nonprofit organization that fosters community service and personal growth. Members continued supporting PCHAS with dozens of games for children of all ages.   

St. Mark Presbyterian Church far surpassed their goal of gathering 60 gifts for children in our care, providing many more! We are so grateful for Christine Polak and St. Mark's dedication to our clients

Dana Corcoran helped us load up the gifts for the angels on our Angel Tree at First State Community Bank in downtown Farmington! We're so thankful to be part of such a wonderful community.

Every year, the ladies of First Presbyterian Church of Columbia hold a big Angel Tree drive for us, and this year was no exception! They filled the needs of many of our clients and filled our van to the very top. 

PCHAS Ambassador Mary Orr & Island Presbyterian Church Mission Chair Kathleen Dare collected volumes of generous gifts to be given to the children in care this Christmas season!

Our child and family specialist in Corpus Christi uses an office at Parkway Presbyterian Church, and Pastor Allen Mosiman was on hand to help accept some of the many Christmas gifts received from his congregation as well as Island Presbyterian Church and El Divino Salvador Presbyterian Church!

PCHAS Ambassador Liz Anzaldua and Andy Anzaldua collect gifts from El Divino Salvador Presbyterian Church for PCHAS clients in Corpus Christi!

We received a gift from the Center for Music Therapy and Wellness and Orchard Audio Visual to help provide presents for our foster children living in foster homes with their relatives.