Related Links

• Rainbow Room
• Holiday Wishes
• Adopt-A-Caseworker
• Group Conference
• Teen Conferences
• PAL Support Program
• Fall Festival
• Other Programs

Partnerships for Children believes very strongly in preparing children that are about to age out of state care for life "without a net." We help with many of the Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) programs to help ensure that these children have the best chance of success in their lives and the least chance of perpetuating the cycle of abuse.

We work to provide resources to these children at times when most of us would have special help from family or friends, during the holidays and after graduating from high school.

Erika Herndon Scholarship

This scholarship is named for our organizations founder and first president, Erika Herndon. Mrs. Herndon’s dedication to the children of Austin is forever memorialized through the yearly presentation of this scholarship. This is a scholarship that is given away to a student who plans to attend a four year college. The scholarship is bestowed during our annual gala. The award is a cash prize of $2,500 and other items to help the student begin college.

Alumni Holiday Party

We provide a holiday party for children who have graduated from high school but who remain in the care of the state because they have enrolled in technical school, junior college or a four year university. This party provides them with a chance to connect with children like themselves and to receive some of the items that they might need for their dorm room or apartment. Some of these children have no one to spend the holidays with, this event gives them an opportunity to enjoy the holidays.

College Cases

Whether a young adult is headed to college or work, the transition to independence can be challenging and for at-risk youth these new responsibilities may be overwhelming. Partnerships for Children provides PAL graduating students with the College Case which helps youth make a smooth transition to life on their own. What-if and how-to advice combined with a flexible organizing system help them manage all aspects of their life.

PAL Six Flags Trip

Every year PAL students from across the state attend a conference in Dallas, during this conference Partnerships for Children provides tickets for PAL students from the Austin area to join their friends from other areas around Texas for a day of rides and games at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington.