Austin Community College (ACC) hosted events throughout the month to support hundreds of ACC families over the holidays. Read about some of them below.
ACC’s 31st Annual Giving Tree
An ACC tradition, the 31st Annual Giving Tree brought joy and essential support to 171 parenting students and 390 children. ACC faculty and staff generously sponsored holiday gifts chosen by the children, and each family received a gift card to help with food and other holiday needs. Additionally, in collaboration with Foster Love, 25 winter care kits were provided to foster care alumni students.
Winter Break Meal Kits
To support students during the break, 646 Winter Break Meal Kits were donated by 166 sponsors across the district and are being distributed the week before winter break through the Riverbat Bites Food Pantries. Each kit includes a recipe and all the ingredients needed to prepare a complete meal.
Winter Holiday Bashes
On Friday, December 12, ACC hosted Winter Holiday Bashes at the Round Rock and Hays campuses for parenting students and their families. The events featured festive activities, photos with Santa (special thanks to Gary Brown and Jim Boullosa), books for children and adults donated by H-E-B and BookSpring, and winter fun kits from PBS. These events served 103 parenting student families, with 232 total attendees.
Check out highlights from the Hays event in the Flickr album below.
Holidays Around the World
Also on December 12, holiday cheer, cultural traditions, and plenty of smiles filled the ACC Military Families Center during the second annual Holidays Around the World celebration. More than 160 people, including 100 children, turned out for the festive event of global exploration and community connection.
Guests enjoyed interactive cultural showcases featuring hands-on crafts, educational activities, and vibrant displays highlighting holiday traditions from around the world. The annual event is sponsored in collaboration with the ACC District Police Department, World Languages Department, Basic Needs team, and Military Families Center.
One of the evening’s biggest highlights was a special visit from Santa Claus—portrayed once again by Sgt. Gabriel Romero of the ACC Police Department—alongside his elf, Officer Leticia Vallejo. Thanks to generous donations from the ACC community, nearly 100 toys were collected and distributed, ensuring every child left with a gift and a smile.
The event continues to grow as a cherished tradition, honoring global holidays and the diverse heritage that makes ACC unique.
Check out highlights from the event in the Flickr album below.
