BOCA RATON, Fla. — As families across Palm Beach County prepare for Thanksgiving, hundreds of local children are balancing more than just school and holiday excitement — they're caring for sick or aging loved ones at home.
WATCH BELOW: 'Having this extra resource for Thanksgiving is so important,' Dr. Connie Siskowski tells WPTV
On Monday, volunteers with the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY) loaded their cars with nearly 80 turkeys, pies, and holiday meal kits, all destined for families supported through the organization's school-based programs.
Based in Boca Raton, AACY is the only nonprofit in the nation dedicated solely to supporting children who take on adult caregiving responsibilities. And here in Palm Beach County, AACY's school-based program supports nearly 700 caregiving youth — a number they said is growing, and a need that's deeper than they've seen in nearly 30 years.
"They're a hidden population, and so having this extra resource for Thanksgiving is so important to them, because the majority of our families are financially insecure," said Dr. Connie Siskowski, founder and president of AACY.
As volunteers called out names and handed out holiday kits, one of the families preparing for Thanksgiving with help from the program is the Alexanders of Lake Worth Beach.
Twelve-year-old Jasmine Alexander is the oldest of three siblings. She loves drawing, doing arts and crafts, and hanging out with her friends — but at home, she also plays a vital role in caring for her mother, Shuceria.
"Usually I clean," Jasmine Alexander said. "Her medicine, I get it for her too."
Shuceria Alexander, who is on dialysis and works long hours, said her daughter is far more than just helpful — she's her anchor.
"She always checks and says, 'Mommy, you okay? Mommy, you okay?'" said Shuceria Alexander. "Jasmine really has been an anchor, she's really held it down, even though at 12 you really shouldn't have to deal with stuff like this."
The mother admits she worried about disappointing her children this Thanksgiving. With finances tight and her health declining, she wasn't sure she'd be able to afford a holiday meal.
"I was going to try to pretend that it wasn't Thanksgiving, so they didn't feel bad that other kids were having a Thanksgiving meal and they weren't," she said. "It is a blessing."
Thanks to the meal delivery from AACY, the family will gather around a full Thanksgiving table — something Jasmine Alexander doesn't take for granted.
When asked what she's most thankful for this year, Jasmine answered simply: "My family, and that my mom is still alive."
The AACY continues to support caregiving youth across Palm Beach County throughout the year, offering academic, emotional, and household assistance to help ease the stress carried by some of the county's youngest caregivers.
