Many ways to give through Season for Caring this Thanksgiving
Aaliyah Gaulmon remembers living in her car with her then-toddler, Kourtni Chambers, when she came to Austin in 2022.
Experiencing homelessness "felt different; it felt strange,” she said. “Growing up and just always having the necessities, having water and somewhere to sleep at night, and then, all of the sudden just nothing and having to start all over. You’ve got to think, go into survival mode and work your way through it.”
Gaulmon, 25, and her daughter are one of a dozen families highlighted in this year's Statesman Season for Caring charity program. All of the families are nominated by a local nonprofit organization, which helps not just the highlighted family but hundreds of others via community donations to Season for Caring.
This year features the 25th Season for Caring. In the first 24 years, more than $18.4 million has been given to local nonprofits to help their clients with basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing and medical care.
This Thanksgiving, as you gather around your tables, consider making a donation to a Season for Caring family or agency or to the general fund, which will be distributed evenly among the Statesman's nonprofit partners.
You also can give an item on a family's wish list or shop the online wish lists, typically at Amazon, Walmart or Target. Those can be found at Statesman.com/seasonforcaring, with each family's story.
Double your donation: Statesman Season for Caring begins 25th year with $500,000 match from Sheth family
Here is a little more about the families, the agencies and their biggest needs:
Cody Campos:Campos, 28, and his twin, Casey, have cerebral palsy. Cody Campos is on hospice care because of his lungs and is in a wheelchair. His family needs a Hoyer lift, an estate attorney and Uber or Lyft gift cards. Hospice Austin, 512-342-4700 ext. 4726, hospiceaustin.org.
Aaliyah Gaulmon:Gaulmon's biggest needs are shoes and clothing for her daughter, as well as a business mentor and a camera for Gaulmon to start a business. Caritas of Austin, 512-996-4024, caritasofaustin.org.
Olivia R. Hernandez: Hernandez, 82, lives in a home her husband bought for her 52 years ago. She needs major repairs including plumbing and electrical, safety railings, roofing, and accessible bathrooms. Interfaith Action of Central Texas, 512-386-9145, interfaithtexas.org.
Ashley Joiner and Georges Jerome:The parents didn't get to grieve the death of their 3-year-old last year before they had to make sure their other seven children were safe. They need a family-size vehicle, a bigger place to live, help with medical navigation, bunk beds and laptops for school work. Any Baby Can, 512-276-8199, anybabycan.org.
Aimable Mukire:He and his family left Congo to live in refugee camps in Burundi before settling in Austin four years ago. They need a gently used car, living room furniture, college tuition for their daughter to complete nursing school and a dining room set for seven people. Interfaith Action of Central Texas, 512-386-9145, interfaithtexas.org.
Tracey Piper: The grandma from Bastrop adopted a relative as a baby while recovering from a brain tumor. She needs therapy toys for a child with autism, a dresser, curtains and blinds, and bunk beds. Community Action of Central Texas, 512-392-1161, ext. 329, communityaction.com.
Kristin Ramirez:After being diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, Ramirez, 43, needs help getting through treatments while caring for her six children. She needs a minivan or larger vehicle, legal services for child support and a meal service while she's in treatment. Breast Cancer Resource Center, 512-524-2560, bcrc.org.
Charles Richard: The biggest worry for the 50-year-old with stage 4 lung cancer is how to pay the bills while he cannot work and his wife, Nicole, is caring for him. They also need cremation services, chiropractic care, an Ulta gift card and employment training for Nicole, who is a nurse. Austin Palliative Care, 512-397-3360, option 3, austinpalliativecare.org.
Sue Smith: At 71, Sue Smith learned about her hearing loss only a decade ago. She needs new hearing aids, a smoke detector with flashing lights, doorbell and phone signalers, a dining room set and home cleaning. Family Eldercare, 512-450-0844, familyeldercare.org.
Betty Patina-Trujillo and Reuben Trujillo: The Del Valle couple have a son with a heart defect and scoliosis. Betty Patina-Trujillo has multiple sclerosis, and her husband is legally blind. They need a wheelchair ramp, a stove, home repairs and a gently used car. Wonders & Worries, 512-329-5757, wondersandworries.org
Chris Watkins and Rebecca Adamson: These Marines have big dreams after being unhoused. They need a washer and dryer, dressers, a couch, a gently used car, and clothing. Foundation Communities, 737-267-5738, foundcom.org.
Bonnie Yett: Within four months, Yett, 58, lost both her husband and daughter to the effects of strokes. She's now raising her daughter's infant son. She needs a washer and dryer, laptops, home repairs, diapers and wipes, yardwork, and a holiday meal. Meals on Wheels Central Texas at 512-476-6325, mealsonwheelscentraltexas.org.
About Season for Caring
The Statesman will be sharing the stories of all 12 Season for Caring families throughout the holiday season. Find more stories and information at statesman.com/seasonforcaring. You can donate online or use the coupon on Page 2B. Now through Dec. 25, all monetary donations will be matched up to $500,000 by the Sheth family.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: This Thanksgiving, give to Statesman Season for Caring
