At the 12th Annual Vinos Event on April 30th, friends, family, acquaintances, and colleagues are invited to join us in raising awareness about the prevalence of child abuse in the Rio Grande Valley.
The Children’s Advocacy Center of Hidalgo and Starr Counties works diligently to assist children and families who have been affected by child abuse. Our generous donors and committed team members are the reason we are able to provide resources to those who so desperately need them. With your financial support, we can make a real difference in the lives of children.
You can aid our endeavors by becoming a Vinos event sponsor. Your help truly provides hope, healing, and justice to the victims of child abuse. Sponsorship also means that our team and board members — like Amira Kalifa — can continue to fight on behalf of children.
Growing Up Texan
Amira Kalifa was born and raised in McAllen, Texas. After graduating from a regional high school, she would go on to attend St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in 2011. After a stint in Austin, Amira decided it was time to move back to McAllen to better support her parents, and she came home in 2015.
Back in the Rio Grande Valley, Amira established herself successfully in the real estate industry, creating a lucrative career for herself. It was during these years that her desire to do more for the community and contribute to the well-being of others grew stronger.
Finding a Purpose in Advocacy
The birth of her firstborn son in 2020 and her growing awareness of child abuse in the Rio Grande Valley were the catalysts she needed. Her passion drove her to join the Children’s Advocacy Center as a board member, as she knew her calling was to help innocent children who were facing challenging situations.
But Amira first had to overcome a few hurdles of her own. She says she used to avoid spending time on social media because of the widespread stories of child abuse, but that those stories never left her mind.
The only way I got out of it was by turning to prayer; I just said, ‘Please, God make me an instrument, in any possible way. Make me an instrument to be a voice for children or help in any way or any form I can’.”
A week into making that silent prayer, Amira received an unexpected call that would send chills down her spine and change her life: a call from Pat Blum inviting her to join the board of the The Children’s Advocacy Center of Hidalgo and Starr Counties.
“God sends you people in situations to open doors for you, so I feel that this is my purpose — to help in whatever capacity I can.”
Helping Children Have a Brighter Future
Amira shares how hearing success stories about the children and families served by the Children’s Advocacy Center gives her hope. While there is still a lot of support needed to continue the mission of the Children’s Advocacy Center, Amira knows that the community can come together to support the children in need.
“For Christmas, there was a toy drive, and every single child got what they wanted on their list. The community came together and I think for me that’s a really important and beautiful aspect of this organization,” says Amira.
She also hopes that the organization will one day not be needed, as that would mean the community succefully stopped child abuse happening locally. However, until that day, she and the rest of the board members are doing what they can to help secure the resources needed to continue fighting the good fight.
“My hope is for the funds to be provided on time so we can continue operating as needed. I don’t want to say I want the event to continue to grow because, in reality, I don’t want the services to be needed. But if and when it’s needed, I want the funds to be there without a struggle,” she says.
