Anna Li Ferry, a third-year student at Rosen Sanders School in Austin, said that she and her classmates decided to raise funds for the Castillo family because they wanted to make sure the baby Mariana got the support she needed. 

The 2-year-old Marianna suffers from a rare neuromuscular genetic disease that requires her to use a ventilator and feeding tube.

"We discussed how she needed more support and more medical help, and we also discussed how it was very difficult for her to move around because she needed extra help to get to the destination," Analee said. "We learned about her way of eating, taking medication, and how she needs a ramp in her home.... We just want to add a bit of brilliance to her life, and we think it will really help her." 

After reading the information about the family, the students of Rawson Saunders voted to support the Castillo family through donations and gifts as part of the Politician’s Season of Care Plan, which is approved annually by a local non-profit The agency helps hundreds of families. The Castillo family was nominated by Any Baby Can, an agency that helps families with children with special needs. 

Read more: Natalia Castillo: Every day brings blessings to mothers of vulnerable children

Mariana was born prematurely at 34 weeks in 2019 and spent several months in the neonatal intensive care unit. Her mother, Natalia Castillo, works in Kyle’s home. With the help of a rotating nurse, she helps arrange eight family therapy appointments a week and arranges about five doctors a month. have an appointment. 

So far, Rawson Saunders' family has raised $1,850 through cash and gift cards, and $245 of items purchased on Amazon's wish list. The fundraising event ended with a holiday chorus event on campus. Music teacher Nicole Gordon presented Any Baby Can representative Jennifer Peterson with gifts for the whole family. 

Gordon, who organizes the school’s support for Castillos, said she hopes that students will have the opportunity to connect with people with different life experiences.

"They heard that many families in need, or some families can't afford an iPad for Christmas, and they don't have enough food," she said. "But hearing a real story and establishing a connection with a real name, a video and photo of a family they thought they already knew, it all changed." 

Peterson told the students at the rally that non-profit organizations help children and families focus on what they can do, not what they cannot do. 

How to donate: How to help families through the Politician Care Program

Peterson said: "Sometimes, when we work very hard and keep hope and you show love like today, we can do things we never thought we could do." "So thank you for helping Marianna Do things she never thought she could do."

Peterson told The Politician that it was refreshing to see a community uniting to support Castillos. Natalia Castillo was unable to attend the rally in person and shot a thank you video for the students. In the video, she answered some of their questions, including showing them how she fed Mariana through a gastrostomy tube.

"We want to influence the community, not just a small impact on a family, but to help our community flourish in an all-round way. Therefore, when we see children really support such things and express their support, it feels good," Peter Sen said. "We have many families that did not appear in this campaign, and in the past few years we have seen so much demand, especially basic needs.... We really hope that no matter what people do for this sport What contribution they make, they all understand that they are not just helping the family; they are helping everyone else who has no stories about them."

There are still some major items on the Castillo family’s wish list, including replacing all carpets with wooden or tile floors, making bathrooms larger and more convenient, installing wheelchair ramps, and maintaining the family’s van and replacing new tires. 

To provide items on Castillos’ wish list, please contact Any Baby Can at 512-454-3743, anybabycan.org. 

Need more help: Austin seeks help with medical expenses and supplies during the caring family season

In the past few years, we have asked churches, boy scouts, colleagues, friends and family members to choose a family to pay attention to and help them realize their wishes. 

This year, another school chose the Rivera family from Liberty Hill, and Hillcrest Baptist Church helped Cheryl Selby. 

Community donation: "Overwhelmed by blessings." Austin Church helps families to care for the elderly through the winter

Other families want a group to support them: 

Arelis López Guzman has two daughters, one on the road. They are from Guatemala and are seeking asylum. Contact the foundation community at 512-447-2026, foundcom.org. 

Musician BJ Lentz was legally blind after hitting the head in 2017. Contact the Austin Musicians' Health Alliance, 512-541-4226, myhaam.org. 

Tahaguas Abraha is a 20-year-old University of Texas freshman who came to the United States with her aunt and uncle after living in a refugee camp in Ethiopia three years ago. Contact Interfaith Action in Central Texas, 512-386-9145, interfaithtexas.org.  

Grandmother Diana Sneed lost her home in a fire in July. Contact Meals on Wheels Central Texas, 512-476-6325, mealsonwheelscentraltexas.org.

After the mother of Tre, Deaza and Railyne Gaston-Ellis died of COVID-19 in August, their siblings Kaiden and Kalieve are raising their teenage siblings. Contact Hospice Austin, 512-342-4726, hospiceaustin.org.

Shilda and Venard Fresch will soon become adoptive parents for premature twins, and their family will expand from 8 to 10. They have adopted the three siblings of the twins. Contact Dress for Success Austin, 737-471-6377, dressforsuccessaustin.org. 

Judy and Juan Silva take care of her 67-year-old brother Ramon, who has had a stroke and has Down syndrome. Contact Austin Palliative Care, 512-342-4768, austinpalliativecare.org. 

The Burnett family lived in the motel intermittently for the past year. Contact the boys and girls club in the Austin area at 512-817-8910, bgcaustin.org. 

The Sheth family is matching donations of up to $500,000.

Learn more about Caring Season, read stories about featured families and donate at statesman.com/seasonforcaring. You can also find coupons for mailing donations on page 2B.