K2K grant review meeting in full swing. Over 60 applications were reviewed that night!
This past December, Kids to Kids had our final grant review of 2009. Around 15 kids participated in reviewing grants, putting final touches on our new website, giving out and receiving awards, and looking at success stories from previous projects we have sponsored. We started out the meeting reviewing 68 grant proposals from El Salvador, Costa Rica, Belize, and Dominican Republic. The projects varied from art camps, to vegetable gardens, to chess clubs, and more. After spending time carefully reading and rating the grants based on their relevance to our goal, amount of fun, and several other factors, we picked 57 to sponsor with Kids to Kids Grant Awards. This was extremely exciting because it was our largest grant review yet!
The grant reviewing group also watched a slideshow where we were able to look at success stories and pictures from previous projects that Kids to Kids sponsored in 2009. The stories were a great way to wrap up reviewing the grants, and to motivate us to continue sponsoring as many projects as we could. The slideshow also included an introduction to our new website (www.kidstokids.org) Together, the group put the finished touches on the website, which is now up and running!
Finally, some members of the group received awards such as Newcomer of the Year, Best Fundraising Event, and Best Communicator. Our next grant review is on March 5th, 2010 and we hope to review and sponsor just as many grants as we were able to in December!
–Sarah, a founding member of Kids to Kids
Just to tell you a little about myself, my name is Lauren and I am thirteen years old. I live in Rhode Island and I attend Bay View Academy. Kids to Kids was my first charity project. I was recently accepted into the National Junior Honor Society. A big part of induction into the National Junior Honor Society is doing a charity project. I wanted to do something big that would help many people who were less fortunate than me. I have always loved kids, so when I heard of Kids to Kids, I knew that I had found the perfect project. After I had an organization to sponsor, I began to plan a jeans and sneakers day at my school. Every student who wanted to dress down instead of wearing his or her uniform would have to pay a minimum of two dollars to the charity. It was a big success!!! I raised six hundred dollars!!! I also received large donations from companies, friends and family. I wrote letters to everyone I knew and asked for donations. In the end, I raised about three thousand dollars and was able to sponsor six projects. I am very happy that I helped so many kids and gave them great opportunities that they will enjoy and remember forever!
The Wayland Middle School Kids to Kids group (consiting of Sarah, Amelia, Annie, Chloe, Nina, Isabel, Louisa, and Molly) organized and hosted a dance party fundraiser at the Josiah Smith Tavern in Weston. We got donations from a bunch of people (including the owners of the place, the pizza guys, and the DJ) and we are so grateful! The party was a huge success! A lot of people came, many of whom made large donations (thanks!) We raised around $700 and had a ton of fun planning everything! Everyone was very generous with helping, donations, and interest in our cause. We hope to do another similar fundraiser soon.
Kids to Kids Australia
Building a library in the Dominican Republic: Target $500
Fundraisers Funky Aussies are Mariah, Olivia, Samuel and Lucinda
On Sunday March the 28th 2009, the funky Aussies organised to have a stall at the Weerama Festival in Werribee, Australia, to raise awareness, and as a bonus maybe get a donation for Kids to kids. It was a very long but a very successful day. As people walked passed our stall, we grabbed their attention to tell them about our project and what Kids to Kids is all about. As we did this, people were very happy to donate and as a result we raised $500. With the help of Reclink, an organisation which rebuilds lives through sports and arts, the total amount raised was $1,000!
“I (Mariah) really enjoyed letting people know what kids to Kids was all about and seeing their reactions.”
“I (Olivia) really liked telling people about kids to kids and making the banner.”
“I (Samuel) liked counting the money and painting the banner.”
“I (Lucinda) loved talking to people about kids to Kids and Making the banner.”
Disney and the Global Youth Service Day gave us a grant to support our work and to continue to engage kids around the US in global issues. Thank you!!
The state’s largest soccer club, Mass Premier Soccer, kicked off the first annual MPS/Kids to Kids Juggle-a-Thon this past Saturday, July 12th, with all proceeds going to Kids to Kids. We had a lot of fun and it was a huge success; raising awareness for our charity and helping more kids! Pictured: top an MPS player trying to win the juggling contest (and win tickets to an MLS game!). Above: Our Kids to Kids all star for the day showing off her shirt after some serious juggling. Bottom: Sarah and Morgan and the Cape Cod Crusaders mascot telling a fan about Kids to Kids. Much thanks again to Graham, Chris, and all the other great people at MPS!
Today we visited Espiritu Santo again. We took shifts going to three stations. One was beading, another was painting their new basketball court, and the last one was where they taught us the marrange (a traditional dance.) It was really fun! I am excited to see the finished court.
This afternoon we went to the nutrition center. This is where Sister Katherine has started an organization where she feeds small malnourished todlers. Today, we brought bubbles, balls, markers, and paint to play with the kids. There was one girl who followed me around everywhere. I did all the activities with her and it was fun to get to know her.
I think that the most memorable part of our trip to the Dominican Republic was playing with the children at the sand dunes. When we went to the DR I thought we would only interact with the kids at the schools that we were giving to, but it turned out to be so much more than that. There were sand dunes across the street from where we were staying, and one day we decided to head ove rthere. We met somer eally sweet little kids and played duck duck goose, tag, soccer, and baseball. It was amazing how even though we didn’t speak spanish we could understand what they were saying. We communicated not through our voices but our hands. When we came home people asked us, “How did you even talk to the kids though?” and I kind of had to think about it. We had no trouble understanding what the kids were saying. It was like we came up with a whole new language, one that everyone could understand.
Also, after thinking about it, I realized that what made the trip so important for the Dominicans was not that we gave them supplies (although they loved them.) The kids just loved meeting new people and getting to know kids who wanted to help them. Although sending supplies to the DR is thoughtful the expirience is not as powerful. I am so excited to go to the Dominican Republic next year!
including, Italy, Brazil, Greece, and of course, Belize. The athletes competed in crazy events such as: blind-folded dribbling, crab-walk relay, shoe kick, and world cup. All of the athletes had a wonderful time competing , they were able to win unbelievable prizes and at the end of the day everyone felt great about supporting a worthwhile cause. Here are pictures of the athletes competing in their countries’ “uniform”.
Creative Corner for Kids in Cristo Rey
