Tuesday, December 1, 2026
Giving Tuesday
Invest in foster children’s education for a brighter future. Every gift goes toward free weekly tutoring for a child in foster care.
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Prefer to mail a check? The WHIT Program, PO Box 928, San Angelo, TX 76902.
Weekly Hands-on Independent Tutoring
Foster kids start out behind. We catch them up.
Free, weekly, one-on-one tutoring in reading and math for children in foster care across Texas.
University students across Texas
One hour a week can change a child’s future.
You don’t need to be a teacher. WHIT trains, screens and supports every volunteer tutor.
Serving foster children across Texas
Free tutoring that helps children in foster care catch up in school
Moves between homes and schools interrupt learning at the exact time a child needs consistency most. WHIT matches each student with a trained volunteer tutor who shows up every week until the student reaches grade level.
- 700+children served this yearFoster children served in 2025-26, up from 28 in 2021-22.
- 400+volunteer tutorsRebekah Beltran oversees more than 400 volunteer tutors and children in foster care.
- 25colleges & universitiesCampuses with tutors on the Campus Champions leaderboard.
- $0cost to familiesTutoring is free to foster children and their families.
Our growth
From 28 children to more than 700
WHIT served 28 foster children in its first school year, 2021-22. Four years later, we are serving more than 700 foster children across Texas, more than double last year.
Every new student needs a tutor who shows up each week. That is why we keep recruiting on campuses across the state.
Four steps
How WHIT works
Simple, consistent and free to every family we serve.
Volunteer
University students and community members sign up to make a difference for a child in foster care.
Train
Volunteers are trained in tutoring, confidentiality, and spotting abuse and neglect.
Screen and match
After a background check and fingerprint screening, we match the tutor with a student who is behind in school.
Tutor weekly
Tutor and student meet every week, in reading and math, until the student reaches grade level.
Why it matters
The education gap is real
Students in foster care fall behind every other group of Texas students, including students who are homeless.
Foster youth have the lowest graduation rate of any group tracked in Texas, and one in four drops out.
After foster care
Without support, the odds are stacked against them
- 50%of homeless people have been in foster care
- 40%of former foster children will be homeless within two years
- 80%of prisoners have been in foster care
- 70%of female foster children are pregnant by 21
- 50%of former fosters will be unemployed at 26
An education changes those odds. WHIT gives each student a tutor and a steady adult in their corner, every week, until they reach grade level.
Watch
See WHIT in action
We work with Child Protective Services to identify children in foster care who need help with reading and math. Foster children have the lowest high school graduation rate of any group tracked by the state of Texas, lower than poor children, English-language learners and even homeless children.
WHIT gives each student someone who shows up, helps them learn and encourages them to keep going.
Get involved
One student. One tutor. Real impact.
Whether you know a child who needs help or you are ready to volunteer, here is your next step.
Refer a student
For CPS caseworkers, judges and CASA volunteers working with a child who is behind in school.
Start a referral →
Become a tutor
One hour a week. Training, screening and support included. No teaching experience needed.
Why tutor →
Give
WHIT takes no tax money. Private gifts keep tutoring free for every foster family.
Donate →
The heart behind WHIT
A legacy of caring for others
The WHIT Program is named for Whitney Thompson, the late daughter of founder Jennifer Lisson. Whitney inspired others with her love of people and her compassion for those less fortunate.
The program was established in her memory in 2021 with 27 children and 27 volunteer tutors. Today it is a statewide effort helping hundreds of foster children overcome educational challenges and build confidence.
In their own words
Tutoring changes more than a grade
Foster parents, students, tutors and caseworkers have seen what a consistent, caring tutor can do.
Campus Champions
University students are showing up across Texas
Our Campus Champions leaderboard counts WHIT tutors by college. Angelo State leads the way, with tutors from 25 colleges and universities and counting.
- 42Angelo State University
- 26Texas A&M University
- 24Texas Tech University
Latest news
Jennifer Lisson honored with a national Angels in Adoption award
WHIT founder and president Jennifer Lisson received the 2026 Angels in Adoption award through the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, following a nomination by Congressman August Pfluger. She was also appointed to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Services and Support Subcommittee.
Growing across Texas
Thank you to our connected universities
Every campus helps connect college students with foster children who need academic support.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What is The WHIT Program?
The WHIT Program is a Texas nonprofit that provides free, weekly, one-on-one tutoring in reading and math to children in foster care. Trained volunteer tutors, most of them university students, are matched with a child who is behind in school and meet with that child every week until the child reaches grade level.
Why do children in foster care need tutoring?
Foster kids start out behind. Moves between homes and schools interrupt learning, and foster children have the lowest high school graduation rate of any group tracked by the state of Texas, lower than poor children, English-language learners and even homeless children. Only 67% of Texas foster youth graduate from high school, compared with 91% of students overall, and one in four drops out. Consistent weekly tutoring helps a child catch up and stay on track.
How many foster children does WHIT serve?
In the 2025-26 school year The WHIT Program is serving more than 700 foster children, up from 28 in 2021-22, 60 in 2022-23, 170 in 2023-24 and 320 in 2024-25.
Does a child have to live in a foster home to get a tutor?
No. A student involved with CPS can be referred even if the child is still living with their natural parents.
How much does tutoring cost foster families?
Nothing. WHIT tutoring is free to foster children and their families.
What are the requirements to become a tutor?
Every volunteer completes a background check, fingerprint screening and WHIT tutor training before being matched with a student.
How can I donate to The WHIT Program?
Give online through PayPal on our Donate page, or mail a check to The WHIT Program, PO Box 928, San Angelo, TX 76902.
Help a foster child catch up
Refer a student, give one hour a week as a tutor, or make free tutoring possible with a gift.