Maxton’s hope is to find a forever family to share life’s journeys. The St. Louis seventh grader enjoys reading, science, math, music, football and basketball, and spends time exploring Roblox on his tablet.
According to KSDK, Maxton is currently thriving in a placement with a single parent and other young boys in the home, where he has grown close to the family's dogs and cats. He's a devoted Mizzou fan, and the station describes him as someone who would flourish with a patient family that spends real time together and is ready to accompany him through whatever comes next.
A Simple Wish: A Trip To Build-A-Bear
Among Maxton's hopes is something refreshingly simple for a kid his age: a trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop, per the station's report. It's the kind of wish that the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition says it exists to grant, whether or not a family is ready to take the bigger step of welcoming a child like Maxton into their home permanently.
The Coalition runs a program called Little Wishes, which it describes as a year-round effort to give children affected by foster care access to items and experiences that support their interests and bring them joy. As the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition puts it, “A Little Wish could be a week at camp, a soccer ball, art supplies, music lessons, or a new bike.” The Coalition also notes that children in foster care are eligible for the program throughout the year, not just during the holidays.
A Program Built On Community Generosity
The scale of that generosity has grown in recent years. The organization's blog post on the 2025 holiday season reported receiving a record-breaking 4,667 Little Wish requests, the highest number in the program's history, and said it worked to ensure that every single wish was granted. That same post credits its long-standing partnership with 5 On Your Side for helping connect the program with the St. Louis community.
Separately, the Coalition's Little Wishes page states that community generosity made 4,593 wishes come true “last year,” though that page does not specify which year the figure refers to, so it's not possible to say how the two numbers line up. Either way, the message from the Coalition is consistent: wishes big and small, from a bike to a soccer ball to a trip to Build-A-Bear, are met through community support.
Referrals, Reach And Community Support
The Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition invites caregivers of children affected by foster care to refer them to Little Wishes. The Coalition has reported 4,593 wishes granted “last year,” without specifying the year, and its 2025 holiday-season post reported a record 4,667 requests and said it worked to ensure every wish was granted. The Coalition credits community generosity with making wishes possible; the information cited here does not specify a dollar amount or provide a funding breakdown.
How To Help Maxton
For families interested in learning more about becoming part of Maxton's life, or simply in helping grant his Build-A-Bear wish, the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition can be reached at 1-800-FOSTER3, according to the station's report. It's a small ask for a kid who, by every description, has a lot of love to give in return.
