Why Miracle Foundation Matters to Carols for Tots
Carols for Tots was born from one old and one not-so-old family tradition.
Music has always been a big part of my life, and around the holidays when I was a kid, our family, led by my father’s larger-than-life voice, would gather and go door-to-door across our neighborhood singing our favorite Christmas carols. The group of carolers grew as we went from house to house singing, laughing, and quite literally spreading cheer. It was one of the many ways my parents taught us about the importance of community and giving back. Much more recently, about ten years ago, to be more exact, my wife and I decided to create a philanthropic fund and involve our children in selecting non-profits to support each holiday season. Our children and grandchildren nominate nonprofits to support that inspire them in some way, and through dialogue and a voting process, we determine how to allocate funds. It’s a family tradition I hold dear.
What if these two traditions could be combined in some way, using current technology while maintaining the core foundation of Christmas cheer and giving back? So we came up with a simple solution. A Facebook page where anyone could post a personal recording of a Christmas carol while others could view and “Like” them, while we promoted a nonprofit supporting children in need, and our family donated $50 for every video posted and $1 for every Like. Carols for Tots was born.
What started as a small, mostly family and friends effort grew into something much bigger as a community-powered way to raise awareness and resources for children who too often fall through the cracks. I’m proud to say that as it has grown in participation, the heart of it never changed: using music and the spirit of Christmas and giving to remind people that every child deserves stability, love, and opportunity.
Finding Miracle Foundation – or Maybe Being Found
My introduction to Miracle Foundation initially came from our annual holiday giving tradition when one of our children recommended them as a nonprofit to support. Several years later, after much reflection and prayer about where I should dedicate my philanthropic energy, out of the blue, I received an email from Miracle Foundation’s founder, Caroline Boudreaux. That led to a meeting that sparked a desire to understand the foster care system more deeply and help Caroline and Miracle Foundation in any way I could.
The more I learned, the more I realized how broken the system often is, not because of a lack of good intentions, but because of fragmentation, inconsistency, and a shortage of practical tools to support children and the people who serve them.
From that very first conversation, it was clear this organization wasn’t just talking about change; they were building it. Data-driven. Child and family-centered. Focused on outcomes, not optics. I could see how every dollar donated would help move children closer to stable families, better care, and systems that help them thrive.
Two Years with Miracle Foundation and Carols for Tots
That clear focus made the decision easy to get involved in any way that could help – or, as Caroline would say, by giving minutes, money, and being a megaphone. Designating Miracle Foundation as a beneficiary of our annual Carols for Tots initiative was an obvious and heartwarming choice.
Our first year working together through Carols for Tots broke the prior year’s records for carols recorded and posted, as well as listens and likes. Our second year made the first year’s outcomes pale in comparison as Miracle Foundation supporters from all walks of life came forward to help. Almost 100 carols were posted, viewed over 25,000 times, and “Liked” over 7,000 times. That, along with some funds raised through our “live” Carols for Tots event at our beer garden in Cedar Park, TX, led to our donation of over $20,000 to Miracle Foundation’s mission to ensure every child has a family. But what stood out most to me wasn’t just the participation level, which was indeed amazing. It was the passion from the Miracle Foundation supporters who relentlessly viewed, liked, and posted videos. It wasn’t just a feel-good moment. It was a feeling that this was contributing to lasting and needed change for children and families.
Working With Miracle Foundation
Working with Miracle Foundation feels less like supporting a nonprofit and more like joining a mission. The team brings humility, urgency, and accountability to their work. They ask hard questions. They measure what matters. And most importantly, they never lose sight of the children behind the data.
As someone who has spent much of my career focused on systems, leadership, and results, that approach resonates deeply with me. Miracle Foundation isn’t content with incremental improvement; they are reimagining what foster care can be.
Why This Matters to Me
Carols for Tots will always be rooted in music, community, and giving back. But partnering with Miracle Foundation has given it depth and genuine purpose. When you see an organization that treats children not as statistics but as futures worth fighting for, you don’t just support it, especially when the impact not only helps today but changes the system for the future, you commit to it, even if it means posting a video of you singing a Christmas carol off-key!
This is our second year working together, and I’m certain it won’t be our last.