Caring for Kids Projects

 

©The 2005 Holiday Fair helped 800 families (over 2,400 kids) with food and gift baskets.

 

©The 2006 Ready to Learn Fair provided 1,233 kids with new and good used clothing, new school supplies, immunizations, vision and hearing screening, $6 bike helmets, hygiene products, books to read and lunch. Sports physicals were provided for free to secondary students wanting to play sports. The Kiwanis gave away refurbished bikes.

 

©The CFK Clothing Bank was established to provide free clothing to kids and their families in need. The clothes are distributed through the schools and after school programs. We have over 400 homeless kids in Lakewood. Since September 2005 we have helped 533 kids with clothing and purchased 367 pairs of shoes ordered by counselors, principals and family service workers for their students in need.

Volunteers process the clothing at the Little Red School House and the packaged orders are delivered to the schools. We also provide toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant. Warm, decent clothing and shoes that fit are so important to a child's health and self-esteem. 

 

©School supplies are purchased by CFK to provide free school supplies for approximately 600 kids a year. We also purchase dictionaries and thesauruses. Deodorant, toothpaste, flosses and toothbrushes are also provided through the school supply bank. The Life Skills Class at Lakes High School, as part of their work-training program, manages the CFK School Supply Bank.

 

©Since September 2005 we have distributed 2,464 dental care kits to our kids in need. Each kit includes a toothbrush, toothpaste and dental floss with a loving reminder to brush and floss in the morning and at bed time.

 

©In celebration of the NEA sponsored Read Across America on March 2nd, new books are distributed to Headstart and ECEAP (at-risk preschoolers) and some of the needier kindergarten students. In 2006 we purchased 1,000 books and gifts. The intent of the program is to encourage parents and students to read at home.

 

©CFK Food Closets supply immediate emergency food to kids who are hungry. CFK has purchased storage units for several schools, while other schools have storage areas to keep their emergency food. Some of the food closet contributors are the Emergency Food Network, school food drives, St. John Bosco Church and individual donors.

 

©We are currently working with Communities in Schools assembling Growing Up Is Fun Bags for preschool parents. The bags contain instructional materials and supplies to help parents prepare their kids for school. From September to June 2006, 2,264 bags were distributed.

 

©Caring for kids has a small cottage business selling Caring for Kids Angels. There are 8 volunteers who have worked hundreds and hundreds of hours to produce the angels for sale. They are totally handmade, even the hair, and sold for $7.00 each. We have an angel for every occasion.

 

©The Alfaretta House for special needs students is now running a balloon bouquet business for Caring for Kids. The business is called Kids Helping Kids balloon bouquets. They also assemble our ABC necklaces for our Growing Up Is Fun Bags and collect ink cartridges and cell phones for another fundraiser.

 

©Along with Lakewood First Lions Club and Communities in Schools we are also distributing furniture. The project is called Furniture for Families.

 

List of Needs

v      Monetary donations to purchase socks, shoes, school supplies, pants, underwear, and hygiene products for the Clothing Bank.

 

v      New clothing, gifts and money for the Holiday Fair

 

v      New or good used children’s and young adult clothing.

 

v      New or good used toys, stuffed animals and games

 

v      School supplies

 

v      New or good used books

 

v      Non-perishable food (especially meals in a can, peanut butter, tuna, etc.) for our on-site school food closets

 

v      Hygiene products such as shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and dental floss (unused hotel amenities too)

 

v      Blankets

 

v      Bikes (for the Kiwanis)

 

v      Glasses and hearing aides

(for the Lion’s)

 

v      Auction items for our dance in March

 

v      Anything Free – we will find a place for anything free.

For more information please contact:

Diane Formoso

237 Eldorado Ave.

Fircrest, WA 98466

(253) 564-8744 /cell 279-9777

Fax: 212-2087

Email: carekids@comcast.net

Website: carekids.org