More than 3,000 gifts were collected and distributed to children in foster care and families in need across the Permian Basin this holiday season through the Permian Basin Giving Tree. The gifts included toys, clothes, diapers, shoes, and bicycles.
The month-long gift drive was coordinated by One Accord for Kids, with contributions from local companies and nonprofits. Caseworkers worked with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and other organizations to organize and fulfill gift requests directly from children and families.
Matt Waller, Director of Community Impact at One Accord for Kids, discussed that the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services provides many services beyond foster care. “A lot of times we think about CPS working with kids in foster care, however they do a lot of services and serve a lot of families who are struggling or in need,” he said. “They have several services that come and provide and it keeps the family strengthened so that kids are not removed.”
The initiative helped provide a sense of normalcy and joy for children, with gifts such as diapers for infants and shoes and clothing for growing kids. Volunteers helped sort and distribute the gifts to families in Midland and Odessa.
Around 380 children were served through the 2024 Permian Basin Giving Tree event.