HHHelping Hand Home For Children
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About Helping Hand Home For Children
Since 1893, Helping Hand Home has helped children and families move through the effects of abuse, neglect, abandonment, and complex trauma. In 2025, it served 397 children and family members, provided 1,611 therapy hours, and delivered 3,839 hours of training to foster and adoptive parents. Your gift supports care that reaches beyond a single moment, from 24-hour residential treatment to foster and adoption support, family services, and an on-site school.
Helping Hand Home offers a rare continuum of trauma-informed care in Austin, from residential treatment for children ages 4 to 13 to foster, adoption, and post-adoption services. Children in care can also receive therapy, wellness support, and education at the on-site University of Texas Charter School, while the Family Support Program and Wendy’s Wonderful Kids partnership provide focused help for families and children with higher needs.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Foster, Adoption, and Post-Adopt Services
Places children from birth through age 21 into safe, loving homes and recruits, trains, and supports foster and adoptive families from preparation through post-adoption.
Basic Foster Care
Provides foster homes for children from birth through age 18 who need a loving home but do not require specialized treatment services.
Therapeutic Foster Care
Provides specialized foster care, guidance, and structure for children who have experienced severe abuse or neglect and need additional support at home, in school, and with their families and friends.
Adoption Services
Supports adoption-motivated families adopting children from foster care through training and ongoing support.
Family Support Program
Prepares, trains, and supports families fostering or adopting children with higher needs through hands-on training and individualized in-home support.
Wendy’s Wonderful Kids
Provides child-focused adoption recruitment for children in foster care who are waiting to be adopted, serving a 30-county area surrounding Central Texas.
24-Hour Residential and Therapeutic Services
Provides comprehensive residential care for children ages 4 to 13 who have experienced complex trauma.
Therapy and Clinical Services
Provides individual, play, family, crisis, physical, occupational, and speech therapy services, along with psychiatric assessments, psychological testing, and behavior intervention.
Education at the University of Texas Charter School
Provides an on-site educational setting designed around the academic and behavioral needs of children in care, with small classes and specialized educational support.
Child Enrichment and Wellness Services
Provides education, recreation, activities, health and wellness support, basic needs assistance, and opportunities to develop self-care habits.
About this work
Mission
To bring hope and healing to children and families through a continuum of trauma-informed, therapeutic care, including residential, foster, adoption, and support services.
Who they serve
Children and families affected by complex trauma, including children who have experienced abuse, neglect, abandonment, or foster care. Residential services serve children ages 4 to 13, while foster care services serve children from birth through age 21.
Their impact
- 397 children and family members served in 2025.
- 240 adoptions completed since 2010.
- 1,611 therapy hours provided in 2025.
- 3,839 training hours provided to foster and adoptive parents in 2025.
- Helping Hand Home completed its 200th adoption in 2024.
- The 25th Annual Champions for Children Awards Luncheon raised more than $1 million for Helping Hand Home in 2024.
- Jersey Mike’s Subs and its customers raised more than $169,000 for Helping Hand Home in 2023.
- Jersey Mike’s Subs and its customers raised $121,478.16 for Helping Hand Home during the 2021 Month of Giving campaign.
How your donation helps
- Residential, foster, adoption, post-adoption, and family support services.
- Care, stability, and opportunities for children and families.
- New housing and additional bedrooms for residential care.
- An Education and Community Center.
- Expanded foster and adoption services.
- A sustainability fund.
- New items for children and the Home, including hygiene supplies, bedding, clothing, diapers, car seats, educational technology, and therapy supplies.
Need help?
How someone in need can access Helping Hand Home For Children’s services.
Children may be considered for residential placement by completing the placement application and contacting Jamie Lounsbury at intake@helpinghandhome.org or (512) 600-7896. Residential services list boys and girls ages 5 to 12, children with a minimum IQ of 70, children who are unable to thrive and remain safe in a home setting, and children with specified diagnoses among those appropriate for care. Prospective foster and adoptive parents can attend the monthly virtual information session or contact the Foster, Adoption, and Post-Adopt Services team.
Stories
The people behind the work.
In their words
TBRI doesn’t just work on the behaviors, it focuses on the underlying causes. Although we can try to fix behaviors, we can only truly heal these kids by finding and working through the underlying trauma. Chris Janawicz, Director of Residential Services
We want the children to feel seen, know that they are safe, and that they have a new space where they are going to be able to take risks and feel loved by not only their classmates, but also the teachers and staff that work with us. Holly Engleman, Executive Principal
This is where it ends for her. She will never have to move again. Reggie Bennett
Grant support
$15,000 from 1 funder · through 2023 (IRS 990 records).
- PAPE-DAWSON ENGINEERS CHARITABLE — $15,000 (2023)GENERAL SUPPORT
Ways to help
Concrete needs and volunteer roles Helping Hand Home For Children has shared.
Current needs
- AA and AAA batteries.
- Antibacterial hand soap and Clorox wipes.
- Booster seats with backs and five-point harnesses.
- Children’s socks, from kids’ size 13 through adult sizes.
- New infant clothing, pack-n-plays, baby carriers, sound machines, infant car seats, and diapers.
- Formula, wipes, and baby-friendly toys.
- Twin-sized bedding, pillows, and dorm-style XL bedding.
- Gift cards for Target, Walmart, Amazon, Visa, movie theaters, restaurants, and children’s outings.
- Therapy supplies such as sensory materials, bubbles, lotions, fleece blankets, and calming-bottle supplies.
- Health and hygiene supplies, including toiletry bags, mouthwash, body wash, bandages, and children’s electric toothbrushes.
Volunteer opportunities
- On-site childcare during foster care training.
- Garden Team.
- Bicycle Team.
- Birthday Gift Wrapping and Party Team.
- Library Team.
- First Aid Team.
- Enrichment Space Team.
- Homework Helpers.
- Activity Volunteer.
- Activity Leader.
- Bedtime Readers.
- Volunteer groups and corporate development for special events and activities.
- Behind-the-scenes service such as van washing, bike maintenance, grounds beautification, inventory, and library organization.
Recognition & press
Awards & recognition
- International accreditation through the Council on Accreditation, maintained for more than eight years.
- Nationally accredited residential treatment programs.
In the media
- KXAN, a feature on Helping Hand Home’s trauma-informed services and staff during a 2026 employee spotlight segment.
- KXAN, a report on Helping Hand Home’s uninterrupted care for children during a Texas winter storm.
Partners & funders
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
What ages can receive residential and therapeutic services?
Residential and therapeutic services provide 24-hour care for children ages 4 to 13 who have experienced complex trauma.
How does Helping Hand Home support foster and adoptive families?
Helping Hand Home recruits, trains, and supports families from their initial preparation through post-adoption. For families caring for children with higher needs, the Family Support Program provides 40 hours of hands-on training along with ongoing, individualized support in the home.
What is the University of Texas Charter School’s role?
The on-site charter school offers small classes and specialized academic, behavioral, and therapeutic support. Its setting is designed to help children recover academically, build confidence, and transition successfully to public school.
What therapeutic approaches are used in residential care?
Residential care includes weekly individual, play, and family therapy, along with crisis intervention, psychiatric assessments, psychological testing, behavior intervention, and Trust-Based Relational Intervention®.
How can someone learn about becoming a foster or adoptive parent?
Helping Hand Home holds a virtual information session every third Wednesday of the month from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Prospective parents can meet other applicants, learn about foster care dynamics, and ask questions.
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