The spirit of giving at Rio Grande Children’s Home

For many of the children in the Rio Grande Children’s Home, the other children they interact with at the home are like a second family to them.

That’s according to Monica Skrzypinksi, gift officer for the private facility owned by the Christian ministry Buckner International.

The home serves as a foster home for children across the Rio Grande Valley where 33 children currently reside, Skrzypinksi said. On Saturday, Dec. 16, the home had a Christmas party for the children where the Mission branch of Texas Regional Bank arrived with gifts for the children. For these kids, this is the closest they’ll get to celebrating Christmas, Skrzypinksi said.

“I know our children are dear to us and it is always very rewarding for them to know they are not alone,” Skrzypinksi said. “They go through really hard times and having the community reach out to them and make them feel like they’re a part of the community is rewarding for them. It makes them feel secure. For all of them right now, this is their family where they get to feel the love, nurturing, discipline and joy of what a family is that they didn’t have.”

Texas Regional Bank provided the gifts thanks to a new initiative the bank is doing this holiday season where each location sponsors a local organization during the holidays. According to Cesar Suarez, the marketing president of the bank’s Mission branch, the Mission branch sponsored the children’s home after he and Skrzypinksi discussed it as they knew each other as members of the Mcallen Rotary Club.

“I think it’s important for everyone to enjoy Christmas,” Suarez said. “One of the things we believe in is community involvement and this organization offered an opportunity to help others in time of need.”

Suarez said the branch reached out to customers for donations to purchase the gifts for the children. Even Ace’s BBQ reached out to Suarez to provide free meals for the children as part of the event.

According to Skrzypinksi, the home still needs volunteers year-round to assist employees in caring for the children.

To find out how you can help, contact them at 956-585-4847 or visit their website at http://www.buckner.org/blog/a-growing-family/