About Austin Children's Shelter

ACS New Campus ACS breaks ground on new campus

On Thursday, February 28, 2008, Executive Director Gena VanOsselaer, Representative Patrick Rose, the Board of Directors, Capital Campaign Committee and major donors took part in the groundbreaking ceremony.

Expansion Plans

After several years of extensive planning, the Austin Children's Shelter is building a new facility that will give us the ability to provide emergency shelter, longer term residential care, educational support for as many as 78 children at a time and family based support services. The new campus will be built on approximately 13 acres of land adjacent to the old Robert Mueller Airport. The land, valued at $2 million dollars, was donated to the Shelter by Dick and Sara Rathgeber.

The donation of land presented an exceptional opportunity for the Austin Children's Shelter -- and this community -- to rise to the challenge of providing a safe haven to more children and do a better job of meeting their needs and the needs of the community.

Campaign Goal

The goal of the "Building a New Foundation of Hope" Capital Campaign is to raise $12.9 million to build a new campus with five shelter cottages and three support buildings. As of March 2009 we are near the end of the Capital Campaign. Thank you to everyone who has pledged or already made a leadership gift to the campaign. To donate, click here.

In addition, top local builders are donating their services for construction of the cottages and the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin will oversee the construction of the campus.

By expanding the Shelter today, ACS can build a new foundation of hope for more abused and neglected children in Central Texas.

The Need

Since 1984, the Austin Children's Shelter has provided emergency shelter, high quality care and hope for the future to the abused and neglected children of our community. With two homes, we are able to care for 30 children at a time. Unfortunately, that is not enough. Each year, we must turn away far too many children who need a safe haven. In recent years, the trend we see is more and more children and teens needing longer term stays. These children are so traumatized by the abuse and neglect that they are unable to function in a home setting. We can, and must, provide that care. And now we will. We are pleased to announce The "Building a New Foundation of Hope" Capital Campaign to expand for the Shelter.

Austin Children's Shelter Link