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How you can help foster kids in Pasco County this Christmas
Jennifer Holton reports
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - For hundreds of foster children in the Bay Area, instead of gifts from Santa, they'll get gifts from an angel this Christmas.
The Pasco County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association sets up angel trees county-wide after Thanksgiving. However, with the deadline just four days away, many trees are still covered with unfulfilled Christmas lists. Organizers are worried there won't be enough donations to help foster parents provide a merry Christmas.
Pasco County foster parent Kelly knows just how foster children are feeling this time of year.
"Their wishes and desires are just the same as children spending the holidays with their biological parents," Kelly said. "The donations, your gift, are going to go straight into the hands of a child in the foster care system. And you're going to be helping families who are caring for these children. It's a tough job."
Though many are paired with families to spend Christmas with, some spend the holidays in group homes and many are in extended foster care.
"I've personally seen some tags on the trees of kids that are aging out," she said. "They're going to be moving into their own apartments; they're asking for things like vacuums and small appliances."
Others just want items like Pokémon cards, gift cards to the movies, or make-up.
"There's no dollar requirement at all," Kelly said. "So you can buy everything on the card, or you can fulfill just one wish."
The cards list the name and age of the child, along with their clothing and shoe size, and a wish list of a couple of items. The angel trees can be found at the below locations:
- Ingram’s Karate Center 4116 Little Rd, New Port Richey, FL 34655 14457 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618
- 4116 Little Rd, New Port Richey, FL 34655
- 14457 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618
- Lil’ Daisy’s: A Kids Resale Boutique 6632 Ridge Rd, Port Richey, FL 34668
- 6632 Ridge Rd, Port Richey, FL 34668
- Trinity SportsPlex 11514 Pyramid Dr, Odessa, FL 33556
- 11514 Pyramid Dr, Odessa, FL 33556
- Florida Premier FC 4825 Little Rd, New Port Richey, FL 34655 3032 Collier Pkwy, Land O Lakes, FL 34639
- 4825 Little Rd, New Port Richey, FL 34655
- 3032 Collier Pkwy, Land O Lakes, FL 34639
All gifts, unwrapped, must be returned to the angel tree location by Friday, December 20. If you can't make it to any of the locations but would still like to participate, you can call 813-445-3282.