Photo © Courtesy of Be An Angel
In 1986, a devoted parent saw firsthand the immense care required for children with special needs at T.H. Rogers School, a Houston-based school for children with impairments. To fill the gap in support for children with disabilities, this committed parent founded Be An Angel, which, more than 30 years later, has helped thousands of children across Texas by providing them with the support they need.
At Be An Angel, their mission is to improve the quality of life for children with special needs or hearing loss by fitting them with adaptive equipment and hearing devices, along with providing services and support programs.
“We believe that children are the heart and soul of humanity, so we help children with special needs experience life at their fullest potential,” said Executive Director Marti Boone.
Be An Angel is Helping Children in Dallas-Fort Worth
When Be An Angel launched its Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) chapter in 2022, the group had identified more than 20,000 families who could be in need of its services. For this reason, the DFW board hit the ground running with specialized services, support and equipment that could improve these children’s day-to-day lives.
One impactful program is Be An Angel’s annual Christmas Gift Program, which gives $40 in toys and supplies to more than 7,186 children from 375 schools in 33 different Texas school districts, including North Texas. For the 2024 season in DFW alone, Be An Angel provided gifts for more than 990 children in the special needs programs in Dallas, Burleson, Mesquite, Castleberry, and the Jo Kelly School in Fort Worth, a school for students with disabilities ages three to 21.
In addition to the annual Christmas Gift Program, a major undertaking for the charity is building barrier-free playgrounds that give special needs children and those with multiple handicaps the ability to play and enjoy a playground that is designed for them and their unique needs. Since 2022, they have installed 36 of these playgrounds in Houston and DFW, including one at Jo Kelly School, with more playgrounds in the planning stages across North Texas.
The DFW program is also expanding to offer respite care so parents and caregivers can run errands, make appointments, or attend other activities. A camp program, already in place in Houston, is also planned for the North Texas region, offering special needs children and their families an opportunity to experience the joy of summer camp activities.
To support these programs in North Texas, Be An Angel DFW organizes an annual Catch An Angel Golf Tournament, hosted by former Dallas Cowboys Wide Receiver and DFW board member Mike Renfro. The third annual event is planned for May 19, 2025, at Trophy Club, and offers an opportunity to pair up with a Dallas Cowboys alum or another celebrity while raising money for the DFW chapter. They also host an annual Purses & Prosecco event with games, designer purses, raffles, and door prizes each fall.
Meet Hadley
When Hadley was born in 2021, her parents—Heather and Jeremy—knew something was wrong. When she was born, more than 50 percent of her body was purple, which they would later find out was port wine stations, also known as birthmarks.
At four months old, Hadley had her first seizure, which lasted 30 minutes and had her admitted to the hospital for 21 days, where they diagnosed her with Sturge-Weber Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes birthmarks, epilepsy, developmental delays, headaches, hypothyroidism, and glaucoma, possibly resulting in blindness.
As medical bills began to mount, and realizing the cost of accessible equipment for their home, Heather and Jeremy didn’t know where to turn. At last, they discovered Be An Angel, who filled the family with hope, “With one phone call, not only did I find help for the equipment, but I found a true group of angels who truly wanted to become part of Hadley’s village by filling in the gaps.”
Your support is key to changing the lives of children with disabilities across Texas. Donate at beanangel.org/donate to make a difference.
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Be An Angel is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of children with special needs. We believe children are the heart and soul of humanity and represent all that is good within us. Together, we can empower children with disabilities to experience life to the fullest.