A Meridian woman and her husband are turning compassion into action this holiday season, ensuring foster youth across Idaho feel seen, loved, and remembered through their second annual Foster Care Christmas Fundraiser initiative.
Luisa Uribe Holtzclaw says the mission behind the donation drive is to “bring them a little bit of hope and remind them there’s a community out there that cares.”
Watch: Learn more about the Foster Care Christmas initiative
For Uribe Holtzclaw and Idaho Rep. James Holtzclaw, that hope is at the heart of their effort. Partnering with the Department of Health and Welfare, she’s working to reach foster youth across Idaho, ages 16 to 23, making sure they don’t go without a gift this holiday season.
“These young adults, they often come from such difficult circumstances, and when they do transition into being independent, they don’t have the safety net,” Uribe Holtzclaw explained. “I know that the state has been trying to fill that gap a little bit by creating this extended foster care program, and they help them with finances and housing and how to find a job.”
The cause is deeply personal for the couple, who are navigating their own journey to build a family…