About The Laredo Area CPS Rainbow Room Coalition

The Laredo Rainbow Room began as a solution to a heartbreaking problem: Child Protective Services (CPS) caseworkers often had to use their own money to buy basic necessities--like diapers, formula, or clean clothes--for children entering foster care or in crisis.

While the "Rainbow Room" concept originated as a statewide initiative championed by former First Lady Laura Bush in the early 1990s, this specific Laredo Rainbow Room has a more personal local origin.

Key Milestones in the Laredo Rainbow Room's History:

• 1993: Foundations Board- Hugo and Sara Alicia "Bibi" Flores founded the Community Partners Board in Laredo. The goal was to bridge the gap between government resources and the immediate, emergency needs of abused and neglected children in Webb County.
• 2000: Official Founding- The Laredo Rainbow Room was officially established by the Flores family. It was designed as an emergency resource center located directly within the CPS office, ensuring caseworkers had 24/7 access to new supplies.
• 2020: The Rainbow Room is now a non-profit- The Laredo Area CPS Rainbow Room.
• The "New Only" Rule- From the beginning, a core principle was that every item in the room must be new. The founders and the board believed that children coming from traumatic situations deserved the dignity of brand new clothes and toys, rather than hand-me-downs.

How it Functions Today

The Laredo Rainbow Room is run by the Laredo Area CPS Rainbow Room Coalition Board, a non-profit volunteer group. Because it is not funded by the state, it relies entirely on:

• Local Donations: Businesses and individuals donate clothing, school supplies, and hygiene products.
• Fundraising: The board hosts events to raise money for high-cost items like car seats and to ensure the room is fully stocked.
• Volunteer Efforts: Community members help stock and organize the room so that it looks like a "mini store" rather than a warehouse.

The room remains a critical "first stop" for many children in the Laredo area who are removed from their homes, providing them with a "ray of hope" during their most difficult moments.