Susan, to start, could you introduce yourself in your role as a CEO in philanthropy and share the focus of your work supporting children, youth, and families in the foster care community?
My name is Susan Ramirez, and I am the Founder and CEO of Austin Angels. At Austin Angels, our mission is to walk alongside children, youth, and families in the foster care community by offering consistent support through intentional giving, relationship building, and mentorship. We do this through two relationship-based, data-driven programs: Love Box® and Dare to Dream®.
Through the Love Box® program, we intentionally pair community members with families who are fostering. These dedicated volunteers show up on a monthly basis, wrapping the family in consistent support that is customized to their unique needs. When caregivers are empowered and equipped with this kind of support, healing and stability begin to take root for the children in their care.
Our Dare to Dream® program provides one-on-one mentorship for youth and young adults in foster care, ages 11–22. An adult mentor is matched with a youth and walks alongside them, showing up twice monthly and guiding them through goal-setting and achieving developmental milestones. These milestones include things like opening a bank account, obtaining a driver’s license, creating a post-secondary plan, and casting vision for what’s possible.
Through both of these programs, the power of relationships is changing the foster care experience. Children, youth, and families have someone who comes alongside them and says “I see you,” and “You belong.” Every child deserves to know they are seen, valued, and never walking alone. That’s the future we’re working toward every day.
What experiences and decisions shaped your path to becoming a philanthropic CEO, and how did they influence your approach to intentional giving, relationship building, and mentorship in foster care?
I founded Austin Angels in 2010 with no vision for becoming the CEO of a nonprofit. At the time, I was working in Corporate America and began Austin Angels as a monthly service project with a group of friends – and then everything changed with one story.
Sixteen years ago, I sat in Judge John Hathaway’s classroom while attending a foster care and adoption conference with little understanding of the child welfare system. As he shared the story of two young boys who grew up in foster care, my heart broke open. Both endured immense trauma, yet when they turned 18, their once similar paths diverged; one was adopted and later founded a foster care and adoption agency. The other aged out of the system alone, and died by suicide.
It was at this point that Judge Hathaway said words I will never forget:
“Not everyone is called to foster, and not everyone is called to adopt, but anyone can play a role and make a difference in a child’s life.”
At that moment, I knew we could do better – that we had to do better. I realized the greatest need wasn’t simply more services. It was more people willing to consistently show up. So we turned our focus to the foster care community, and spent the next few years supporting caregivers and children experiencing foster care.
In 2013, I was walking alongside a single foster mom who had six teenage boys in her home. Each month I’d come by to visit, bringing a big box filled to the brim with things like paper towels, toilet paper, snacks, laundry soap, and games. One day, Ms. Esther greeted me saying, “Here comes my love box!” And just like that, our program had a name.
We continued to pilot the Love Box program, and saw incredible transformation taking place in the lives of these young boys. One of those boys, Ryan, had never had a birthday celebration. His 14th birthday was approaching, but instead of excitement and anticipation, he felt unsure and alone. I dropped off a surprise box for him filled with balloons, brownies, gifts, and a handwritten card. Ryan was so excited to get home from school that day, because it was the first time in his life that he was going to be celebrated on his birthday.
Shortly after opening his birthday box he called to thank me. As they were saying goodbye, Ryan said “I love you!”, and I said “I love you too, Ryan!” Just minutes later, Ms. Esther called me back and said, “Susan, Ryan has been in my home for years and I’ve never heard him say I love you – please don’t let that be lost on you.” It’s one thing for a child to feel safe enough to receive love, but it’s even bigger for them to be able to give that love back.
That conversation confirmed what we had been witnessing all along: consistent relationships have the power to restore hope in ways that resources alone never can. I could see that we had a program that was changing lives. After years of one foot in corporate and one foot in nonprofit, I made the decision to quit my comfortable career and go all in on Austin Angels full-time – and I haven’t looked back since.
In practice, over 12–24 months, what does “consistent support” look like for a foster family in your programs?
When a volunteer is matched with a family or youth through our programs, they sign up for a year-to-year commitment, and we have found that volunteers will stay in our program for an average of 3.4 years – with many matches extending well beyond that. Support looks completely different family to family, youth to youth, but consistency remains key. We know that every family and every child’s needs are unique, and the support provided through our programs is intentionally tailored to meet those individual needs.
Once a volunteer has been matched, they show up on a monthly basis for the family or youth who they walk alongside. In the Love Box program, support might look like babysitting, attending court with a caregiver, taking the kids to the park, bringing over dinner, dropping off household goods, providing transportation, or simply being a trusted presence – and often it is a combination of many of these things.
In our Dare to Dream program, mentors meet with their mentees at least twice per month, customizing their time to reflect the youth’s interests and goals while they work together to identify and achieve developmental milestones.
Through both programs, the ultimate goal is that deep, trusted relationships are built that extend well beyond the formal volunteer match.
Consistent support is showing up, again and again, for the incredible kids and families we have the honor of walking alongside. Many people think support has to be extraordinary. In reality, it’s often the ordinary moments that become extraordinary for children who have experienced instability. A volunteer who consistently shows up month after month becomes someone a child or family can count on, and that has the power to transform lives.
Building on that, from your strategic planning and business development lens, what single practice has most reliably turned episodic donations into multi-year, needs-aligned support for foster kids and caregivers?
Consistency is key, not just for the children and families in our programs, but with our partners and donors as well. We deeply believe in the power of relationships, and we’ve seen this to be transformative in our fundraising efforts. The majority of our multi-year donors are people who I have built deep relationships with. People rarely make long-term investments because of a compelling brochure or marketing campaign. They invest because they believe in the mission, trust the leadership, and can clearly see the difference their generosity is making.
Turning to partnerships in Texas, what collaboration model with an organization like Texas Adoption Center has helped you keep communication clear and trust strong among agencies, foster parents, mentors, and donors?
We believe that we are better together, and are constantly seeking opportunities to collaborate and partner with other organizations. Organizations like Texas Adoption Center play a critical role in supporting children and families, and when we each bring our unique strengths to the table, the foster care community is stronger because of it.
Partnerships allow us to increase awareness and expand our impact, ultimately resulting in more children and families supported. No one organization can meet every need of a child or family. Lasting impact happens when agencies, nonprofits, volunteers, and community partners work together.
On mentorship, what is your proven approach to recruiting and training mentors who are trauma-informed and consistently present for youth in care or those aging out?
Before a volunteer has even submitted an application for our Dare to Dream program, we work to clearly set the expectations of the program so that they understand the commitment. Through the application process, we seek to understand their interests, skills, and goals for volunteering.
Once a volunteer is matched in our program, they attend a training hosted by our Case Managers that provides insight into not only our history, mission, and vision, but also covers the basics of the child welfare system, the effects of trauma, TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) principles, and volunteer expectations.
Several members of our Programs team are certified as TBRI Practitioners, with more to be trained over the next year. This allows us to better equip and empower our volunteers to provide trauma-informed care. We also offer an optional and free annual TBRI training for program volunteers to participate in.
We aren’t just preparing volunteers to mentor. We’re preparing them to understand needs and behavior through the lens of trauma so they can respond with empathy, curiosity, and compassion.
Looking at outcomes, what key indicator do you monitor to confirm that intentional giving and relationships are actually reducing stress for families and stabilizing placements for kids?
Relationships can feel difficult to measure, but we believe they should never be impossible to evaluate. Measuring outcomes ensures we aren’t simply creating meaningful experiences, but that we’re creating meaningful change.
Our outcomes are tracked through Customer First Measurement (CFM), a direct, person-centered feedback tool that tracks the real impact of our programs for youth, families, and volunteers. Continuous feedback through CFM allows us to improve our services and program delivery, ensuring we consistently meet the unique needs of every child and family. Of the eight KPIs that we are tracking, several allow us to see the ways in which our programs are creating lasting impact and improving long-term outcomes. These include:
- Family Satisfaction Score: This score is measured by asking “Does this program meet your unique needs?”, with 94% of caregivers reporting yes.
- Foster Parent Retention: This is one of the most urgent challenges in the child welfare system. We know that 50% of foster homes will close within their first year, often due to caregivers feeling overwhelmed and undersupported. Through our Love Box program, 71% of caregivers report that the support they receive from our program has sustained them in continuing to foster. Every time we help a caregiver feel supported enough to keep their home open, another child is spared the trauma of experiencing yet another move.
- Increased Sense of Normalcy, Emotional, and Social Well-Being: Children and youth experiencing foster care often miss out on the everyday moments that create a sense of normalcy, and approximately 80% of youth in foster care will face serious mental health challenges. In our Love Box program, 96% of Love Box caregivers report that our support has helped increase a sense of normalcy, emotional health, and social well-being for the children in their care.
- Placement Stability: In a system where instability is both common and harmful, the consistency created through our program stands in meaningful contrast. 64% of Love Box caregivers shared that our support directly helped prevent a placement disruption, giving more children the stability to stay rooted, keep relationships, and have the time needed to heal instead of starting over again.
On the people side, how do you structure staff development and ongoing training to prevent burnout among mentors, volunteers, and casework partners while maintaining high-quality support?
We believe that the quality of support our volunteers, mentors, and community partners receive is directly connected to how well we invest in our own team. That’s why staff development is a priority at Austin Angels.
We provide an annual continuing education stipend that employees can use for books, courses, conferences, certifications, or other professional development opportunities that strengthen both their leadership and their expertise. We often say that continued education isn’t a nicety, it’s a necessity.
We also invest in specialized training, including Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), with several members of our Programs team certified as TBRI Practitioners and additional staff working toward certification. This equips our team to better understand the effects of trauma while providing guidance to the volunteers they support.
By continually investing in the growth of our staff, we ensure they are equipped to coach volunteers through challenges, celebrate successes, and provide consistent, high-quality support throughout each match. Our Programs team maintains regular touchpoints with volunteers and caregivers or youth, providing coaching, encouragement, and problem-solving along the way so no one feels like they’re navigating the work alone.
When our team is well-prepared and well-supported, our volunteers feel more confident, our partnerships grow stronger, and ultimately, children and families experience the kind of consistent relationships that create lasting change.
Finally, for readers across Texas who want to help, what is one practical first step they can take this month to start a sustainable giving or mentorship commitment with the foster care community?
For readers located in Central Texas, we would love the opportunity to connect directly with them and learn more about their goals for supporting the foster care community. Whether sharing their time, talent, or treasure, there are many meaningful ways for everyone to get involved and create lasting impact. We’d love to hear from you and host you for a tour at our new Community Center in Buda. You can contact us at: info@austinangels.com
For those outside of Central Texas, we have three other Texas chapters through our National Angels network: Amarillo Angels, DFW Angels, and New Braunfels Angels. And for anyone who is located in an area of Texas where we do not yet have a chapter, we invite you to get involved by signing up for our email newsletter, following us on social media, or making a donation in support of the foster care community. You can learn more about getting involved at www.austinangels.com.
We believe that not everyone is called to foster, and not everyone is called to adopt, but anyone can play a role and make a difference in a child’s life – and that’s exactly what you can do today by joining us.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
The statistics surrounding foster care can feel overwhelming, but we believe relationships are the solution. Every child deserves to be surrounded by caring, consistent relationships that help them experience belonging, find stability, and believe in what’s possible for their future.
Your yes to joining us in this work has the power to change lives, and it just might change yours too. If there’s one thing I hope readers take away, it’s that you don’t have to become a foster parent or adopt a child to make a meaningful difference. Lasting change begins when ordinary people choose to show up, consistently.
