Cy-Fair Women’s Club Presents $10,000 Adopt-A-Cause Donation to Family Ties to Support Local Children in Crisis
In an afternoon filled with emotion, compassion, and community spirit, the Cy-Fair Women’s Club (CWC) officially presented its 2025 Adopt-A-Cause donation to Family Ties, a local nonprofit dedicated to serving abused and trafficked children and their families across Cypress, Waller, and Northwest Harris County.
Family Ties was selected as this year’s Adopt-A-Cause (AAC) recipient, receiving a $10,000 gift that will fund essential furnishings for two trauma-informed therapy rooms—spaces that will directly impact young victims through counseling, neurofeedback play therapy, art, and music therapy services.
For Alice Bennett, a member of the Cy-Fair Women’s Club and the woman who presented Family Ties to the AAC Committee, the moment was deeply personal. “I presented on Family Ties and highlighted their mission to support vulnerable children, youth, and young adults in Cypress and Harris,” she shared. “I also outlined specific needs that would help them achieve their rehabilitation goals this year.”
An Emotional Afternoon with a Lasting Impact
The donation presentation included a tour of the Family Ties facility, where staff offered insight into the programs, services, and challenges that come with supporting children recovering from abuse and exploitation. Executive Director Heather Stautmeister shared stories that moved visitors to tears—along with her personal routine of “wiping her feet” at the end of each workday, symbolically releasing the emotional weight carried from the day’s trauma cases.
“Hearing about the cruelty these children have faced is distressing,” Alice said. “The stories of their clients drive their mission to create change in the community. Their work has rescued my children and others, ending their suffering.”
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Founded in 2007, Family Ties is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, comprehensive services to victims of abuse, neglect, and trauma. Their mission, Providing Hope Through Healing, centers on offering therapy, support services, prevention programs, and court/hospital advocacy. Programs are available to clients of all ages, with special focus on youth and families in crisis.
Family Ties operates across multiple counties, offering free services like crisis intervention, advocacy, transitional housing, education programs, and support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Their Youth Drop-In Center and Mueller House Transitional Housing are two examples of how the organization provides long-term support that prioritizes stability, healing, and independence for at-risk youth.
Community Support That Matters
The Cy-Fair Women’s Club selects its AAC recipient through a rigorous, member-led vetting process. Each candidate is nominated by a committee member, researched in-depth, and presented for a full membership vote. Over the past decade, the club has donated more than $146,000 to local nonprofits through this initiative.
As Alice explained, “Each year, we receive many candidates for Adopt-A-Cause. The selection process is challenging because all finalists align with our mission, and the final decision often reflects individual members' passions.”
This year, the donation will furnish two therapy rooms with critical equipment and furniture—including anchored dividers, mobile storage cabinets, desks and chairs, and sand tray activity centers—that are tailored to meet the emotional and developmental needs of young clients in trauma recovery.
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“The therapy room is being set up with new furniture, and training equipment and other supplies will be ready within 30 days,” Alice added. “These resources will enhance their ability to serve clients and the community.”
More Than a Check—A Call to Action
The visit to Family Ties also sparked powerful reflection among the women present. For Alice and others, the experience reinforced the need to raise awareness about the scope of abuse and trafficking in the Cy-Fair area—and to support organizations doing the hard work every day.
“More public awareness is needed about this serious issue in Cypress, Harris County,” she said. “It is our responsibility to protect these children's futures.”
Though nonprofits like Family Ties often face challenges related to funding and volunteer shortages, the Cy-Fair Women’s Club remains committed to elevating these causes, offering both financial aid and community platforming—such as booth space at the group’s annual Shop ’til You Drop event on September 13, 2025.
Alice summed up her motivation for continuing this important work: “I joined and continue to be member [of the] Cy-Fair Women’s Club to make a difference and learn about my community.”
To learn more about how to support Family Ties or to get involved, visit familytiesfrs.org or email Cristian Mejia at cristian@familytiesfrs.org.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
