Iris, 8 years old, CA | 1 DAY WAITING | NEEDED BY 10/16

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Iris entered foster care alongside her two sisters after their mother passed away suddenly in her sleep. With their father not in the picture, the girls faced the months after her passing in a haze of grief and confusion as they entered the system together. Iris and her younger sister were later placed out of state with a paternal cousin they'd never met, and while she's grateful to be with family, she's struggling with being separated from her older sister, who stayed behind in San Diego to finish her senior year. Iris loves to swim, is taking diving lessons, and recently won her class spelling bee, something she's incredibly proud of.

Before she passed away, Iris's mother had been planning a special Disneyland trip to celebrate her older sister's birthday around Halloween. Since moving out of state, Iris and her younger sister haven't been able to see their oldest sister in person, staying connected only through phone calls across time zones and busy schedules. A Disneyland ticket would let Iris spend a carefree day with both of her sisters, honoring her mother by finally following through on the trip they had planned together as a family.