17-02-2025
Statesman's Season for Caring raises $1.7 million for local charities in second-best year
Grisham Middle School students carried present after present into the Amador Rodriguez family's apartment. "Thank you, kids, for the amazing Christmas for my family. I never imagined all this," said Dexy Amador, the mother of the family.
Church folk from St. Martin's Lutheran Church's Move-In Ministry brought in furniture items to fill the new home of the Martínez Aranda family, who had been homeless with the matriarch in kidney failure. "I'm so excited because we have enough furniture for being comfortable in this house," Ana Martínez Aranda said. "I appreciate … these guys."
Package after package arrived from Amazon to local nonprofits to bring families needed cleaning supplies, work equipment, home goods and Christmas presents. And checks, credit cards and stock donations filled the mailbox and inbox of the Austin Community Foundation.
Since November, the Central Texas community has had a significant effect on their neighbors through the Austin American-Statesman's Season for Caring program.
In its 26th year, the charity program raised $1,445,503 in monetary donations and $278,035 in in-kind donations of goods and services, for a total of $1,723,538. It was the second-best year in the history of Season for Caring, only $35,000 less than the record $1.758 million raised in 2021.
Since 1999, the program has raised $21.7 million for local nonprofits. The 2024 season helped featured families as well as hundreds of other clients of Any Baby Can, Austin Palliative Care, Breast Cancer Resource Center, Community Action of Central Texas, Foundation Communities, Foundation for the Homeless, Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, Hospice Austin, Interfaith Action of Central Texas, Meals on Wheels Central Texas, SAFE and Wonders & Worries.
Local philanthropists Brian and Adria Sheth inspired the giving with a $500,000 matching gift. Pat Munday made sure that match was met with a $500,000 gift of her own.
People came out on Dec. 14 to eat at P. Terry's Burger Stand locations and raised an additional $46,113 during the company's annual Giving Back Day for the Season for Caring program.
The Driskill Hotel's Cookies for Caring program raised an additional $5,747 and gave the Lopez family an amazing evening with tree lighting honors and an overnight stay.
Factory Mattress made sure every family that needed them had new beds. Firehouse Animal Health Centers gave the furry family members free vet care. Capital Area Dental Foundation connected families with dental care, and Austin Founder Lions Club and America's Best provided vision screenings and glasses.
University Federal Credit Union matched each featured family with a personal banker to help them make a budget, plan for the future and improve their credit ratings.
For the featured families, Season for Caring offered a lasting change.
Dexy Amador and Dennis Rodriguez and their children were given a gently used truck to help Dennis in his job, they received an amazing tour of Austin FC's stadium, and Foundation Communities was able to help them with legal bills, which was their biggest need.
Nichole Babbitt, a mom of four who has dealt with homelessness and addiction, is now able to comfortably wash her children's clothes with the donation of a washer and dryer. Foundation for the Homeless will help her buy a car unless one is donated soon.
Jazmin Campbell, who has an autoimmune disease that has affected her ability to walk, received a comfortable electric hospital bed from a family. Grant money to Austin Palliative Care will help buy a gently used manufactured home to put on land her grandmother owns.
Thamairis Canales Yanez, who has breast cancer that went to her brain, has been able to give her daughter, Ivanna, many Christmas gifts. Breast Cancer Resource Center also is providing ride-hailing service cards for Canales now that she can no longer drive.
Community Action is able to help the heirs of William Daugherty, a Del Valle teacher who died at the beginning of the year after his fourth round of lymphoma treatment. The nonprofit is helping the family settle his estate.
Using donations, Any Baby Can helped Jalayah Patterson and Nathan Davis and their son, Nakari, move into a new apartment and will help them with a gently used car.
Olga Aranda Guzmán, who has renal failure, is able to leave her hospital bed to come out to the living room and sit in a donated recliner. She, her daughter Ana Martínez Aranda and her grandson are no longer homeless thanks to Statesman Season for Caring grants to Hospice Austin that have allowed them to rent a home as well as to fix the family car.
Kathia Gomez, a mom with three boys, received the double stroller she wanted and presents for her children. SAFE has helped her afford a car by paying her rent.
Musicians Ed and Victoria Hammill were given new music for Christmas as well as a good checkup for cat Oreo. HAAM has been able to settle much of their debt to give them a fresh start.
Gina Lopez, a mom with pancreatic cancer that has spread, was given many items from the National Council of Jewish Women. Wonders & Worries also used donated funds to give her new living room furniture and pay for her health insurance.
Mir and Shameem Shamsi and their three daughters are able to stay in their apartment because of the Season for Caring grant to Interfaith Action of Central Texas that is supporting this family while Mir is being treated for brain cancer.
Carlos Vallejo Jr. , who lost his right arm and leg in a boating accident, will have his home remodeled to be more accessible and more energy efficient by CG&S Design-Build. Meals on Wheels of Central Texas has been helping him cover his utilities.
Each quarter, the featured nonprofits submit their receipts of how they spent the Season for Caring grants on not just the featured families, but also their other clients.
Here are some notable ways your donations already have been put to good use:
Paying off medical bills for Breast Cancer Resource Center patients and giving clients H-E-B gift cards and ride-hailing service gift cards. "We are very thankful to the Statesman and donors to this program!" said social worker and program director Annette Juba. "Obviously the extensive assistance to the featured client is life-changing. Beyond that, it is an amazing feeling to be able to alleviate a little of the financial pressure so many other clients feel!"
Tuition, rent, car insurance, pest control and a garbage disposal installation for refugees served by Interfaith Action of Central Texas.
Meals on Wheels Central Texas bought clients doorbells, can openers and microwaves to be able to receive services.
Clients of SAFE, which helps families overcoming abuse, received H-E-B gift cards and had their rent and utility bills paid.
Wound care supplies for one client and a recliner for another at Austin Palliative Care. "We use it as best we can for the biggest needs our patients and their families have," said Amy Dole, a social worker.
Air conditioning repairs, emergency assistance gift cards to Walmart and car repairs for families of Wonders & Worries, which helps children who have a parent or caregiver with a serious illness.
Rent and deposit for an apartment for a musician who had been homeless, dental care for another client, and H-E-B gift cards for Health Alliance for Austin Musicians' clients.
Rent and water and electric bills paid for clients of Hospice Austin. "The help and support this brings to our patients and families is truly life-changing," said Kiki Palmer, media manager at Hospice Austin.
More: Beautiful start to new year for Statesman's Season for Caring families
Season for Caring families are nominated by local nonprofit organizations that are invited to participate in the program. To find out more about the program, email Nicole Villalpando, nvillalpando@
All donations made are given in grants to the nonprofit organizations through the Austin Community Foundation. Donations can be given at any time of the year at
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Season for Caring raises $1.7 million in second-best year
