Not all wedding gifts are a KitchenAid mixer, fine china or a luxury sheet set. Nicole and Ashton Griffith of Houston asked guests of their March 30 wedding to donate to their preferred charities, including Upbring. Nicole, 33, and Ashton, 35, have been together since 2017 and have all the home furnishings they need. The idea for a charity wedding registry stemmed from a wedding the couple attended. On the registry was an opportunity to donate to a Houston hospital that served children. “I thought that was special,” shared Nicole. “That inspired us to look for philanthropies that were meaningf ..read more

What an amazing Angel Tree event Upbring had in 2023! Thanks to your support, we were able to bring goodwill and cheer to hundreds of Texas children across the state and carry on an Upbring holiday tradition that started more than 20 years ago. Altogether, Upbring wrapped and delivered Christmas gifts to more than 400 children in our programs statewide—that’s more than double the number in 2022 and double the tidings of joy.   Angel Tree is a local gift drive that coincides with the holiday season—a way for the community to promote child wellbeing by providing toys and clothing to those i ..read more

Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas — Feb. 6, 2024 — Upbring, a leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing child wellbeing, is thrilled to announce a collaborative event with J3 Distributors, dba Tehuacán USA, an exclusive distributor of Tehuacán Mineral Water, and the Texas Outlaws soccer team. Together, the organizations aim to spread joy and support for local children and families by delivering over 1,400 bottles of mineral water to Upbring Head Start Preschool South Fort Worth in Cleburne, Texas, on Tuesday, Feb. 20. In addition to delivering Tehuacán mineral water, the event will include a friendly sc ..read more

Asks Community to Help Support Over 500 Texas Foster Children Austin, Texas – December 4, 2023 – As the holiday season approaches, Upbring, a leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing child wellbeing, unveiled the expansion of its annual Angel Tree program. For over 11 years, Angel Tree has helped children in Upbring foster homes and other programs, providing presents and programmatic support for their wellbeing during the holiday season. This year, Upbring’s Angel Tree will touch the lives of over 500 children, encompassing those in Upbring Foster In Texas (FIT) and their siblings, FIT foster ..read more

Austin, Texas – October 9, 2023 – It is with immense gratitude that Upbring, a leading nonprofit committed to advancing child wellbeing, announces its President & CEO, Mike Loo, as one of the distinguished recipients of the Austin Business Journal 2023 Best CEO Award. The Austin Business Journal bestows the award in five categories based on an organization’s size and status, be it public, private or nonprofit. Mike graciously accepted this prestigious accolade during a private ceremony held on Oct. 5, 2023, alongside several other honorees. The award ceremony, attended by a distinguished g ..read more

Austin, Texas – Aug. 2, 2023 — Upbring, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to child wellbeing, is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Crews as the Vice President of Development Operations, joining their esteemed Community Engagement Team. In this pivotal role, Scott will spearhead Upbring’s mission advancement and philanthropic fund development through expert management of the Community Engagement Development department. His responsibilities include providing strategic direction, coordination and cultivation of both new and existing donors, encompassing foundations, corporatio ..read more

Thanks to our donors for helping us raise over $410,000 through two fundraising events of 2023—Spring Gala in Lubbock and Healing Hearts Houston. The theme for both events was “Boots and Ballgowns” and our guests dressed to impress! Your gifts and participation further our mission to break the cycle of child abuse.   In April, Spring Gala (view photos) raised $50,000 for children and families in the Lubbock community. During the event, long-time Upbring donors and volunteers Mary Lee and Larry Franklin were honored with a $1,000 donation to Mary Lee’s Closet. For many years, Mrs. Fra ..read more

(Pictured above) Upbring receives annual endowment checks from Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest each December, the latest in the amount of $149,000. From left to right: Deacon John Dellis, Director of Legacy Planning for LFSW; Holly Raymond, Upbring’s Chief of Community Engagement and LFSW board member; Mark Armstrong, Executive Director of LFSW; and Lenora Doerfler, Upbring’s former Philanthropic Advisor who sat on the LFSW board. Established in 1979 by four prominent Texas Lutherans, the Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest (LFSW) opened doors for people of faith to support their cherish ..read more

Extending a helping hand to children has been a way of life for Courtney and Jeff Knowles. As pee-wee sports coaches, they were sensitive to children from single parent families who might need extra attention. At church, they worked with teenagers and in the nursery. Though they had two biological children, the Knowles felt called to love other children through fostering or adoption.   “I was determined that this was the right path for us,” Courtney explains. She wasted no time and immediately reached out to Child Protective Services, hoping to make a difference. Before long, a casew ..read more

Pharr, Texas / Austin, Texas – July 11, 2023 – J3 Distributors dba Tehuacan USA, a leading provider of natural mineral water, and Upbring, a Texas-based nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of child abuse, today announced a social impact partnership aimed at creating better futures for at-risk children in Texas.  Tehuacan USA and Upbring share a strong belief that community plays an essential role in shaping the future of our children. By acknowledging and addressing the adversity faced by children in Texas at risk of being abused, neglected or exploited, they aim to foster an enviro ..read more