SAN ANTONIO (KABB/WOAI) - You may not think a duffle bag is worth much.
But for kids in the foster care system it can mean everything.
And they can hold your entire life.
"When we first got in foster care, I didn’t have anything, I came with a trash bag," says former foster kid Angelica Kennel.
Angelica was eventually adopted and is now a junior at UTSA, but for a foster kid, even graduating from high school is uncommon.
A UT-Austin study shows that only 51 percent of foster teens graduate from high school in the state.
"Graduating for foster children is a really difficult task because not many of them get the chance to do it," says Hunter Beaton.
Hunter has three adopted siblings himself, former fosters.
He started the non-profit Day 1 Bags a few years ago in San Antonio.
The bags are shipped to foster kids all over the state filled with supplies those kids need to transition to their new foster home or new adoptive home.
For the third year they're gearing up for "Adopt a Senior", a special bag sent to every graduating foster senior in Texas complete with gift cards worth hundreds of dollars, books, a camera and more.
It's an effort to help them get on their feet as they age out of the system and to say congratulations.
"They really don’t receive many gifts at all and sometimes these bags and whatever supplies that we have in them are the only thing they get to receive throughout the year," says Hunter.
Graduation season isn't until June, but this year Day 1 Bags is fundraising early.
They're asking for donations now.
"The reason we’re doing it so early is to alleviate some of the supply chain issues that were seeing all around the nation," says Hunter. "We know that if we place them early will get them in on time and we want to make sure that these gifts are ready to go when they graduate."
This giving season think about giving to kids who may not have anything.
"It’s something to think about when you’re with your family at the Thanksgiving table and you know there are kids out there who don’t have anything for dinner," says Angelica. "So anything helps, any donations, contributions."
There are 600 foster seniors that will be graduating in the state this year so Hunter and Day 1 Bags is trying to create 600 bags.
You can donate by visiting the non-profit's donation page on their website or their Facebook page.