Warm & Fuzzy February
Our Warm & Fuzzy February care packages bring comfort to children in foster care. Join us in providing brand new cozy items like blankets, books, pajamas, stuffed animals and socks to children affected by abuse, neglect or abandonment. Small comforts mean so much to a child in need and your support means even more. Thank you to our campaign sponsors: Sharon Nagel and Cindy Rainey.
Support Our Book Drive
View our curated list by social influencer, literacy and children’s causes advocate, Zayda Love. Books allow children to momentarily escape the circumstances they face, teaches them they are not alone, and shows them they can tackle the most challenging scenarios. Purchased items from our Amazon wish list can be shipped directly to the Children’s Foundation of America warehouse for distribution. Our list also includes specific requests from the children we serve.
- $10 purchases a new book for a child in need
- $15 purchases new socks or slippers for a foster youth
Donate to Our Campaign
Donate to provide Warm & Fuzzy care packages including stuffed animals, sweaters, books, blankets, pajamas and more. Every contribution makes a difference.
- $25 provides a teddy bear for a child in need
- $50 provides a new hoodie for a foster teen
Contribute to Literacy
Our Zayda Literacy Fund provides three $500 grants to foster youth who write the most compelling book reports each year. Every dollar helps to grow this initiative.
- $500 provides one grant to fulfill a foster child’s imaginative dreams
(a trip to Disneyland, travel to a new place, summer camp to discover adventure)
6 Beautifully Illustrated Children’s Books
Great children’s literature tackles complicated and multi-faceted issues that engage a child’s imagination and provide guidance to tough questions. In fact, UNICEF cites access to age-appropriate books as an essential part of a child’s development. Inspired by a blog by Maria Popova, here are six beautifully illustrated children’s books published in 2017:
Big Wolf & Little Wolf: A touching book of friendship and love between two solitary wolves. Big Wolf lives alone by his tree until Little Wolf shows up one day. Little Wolf begins to mirror Big Wolf in all his action, as Big Wolf’s heart slowly warms and opens. One day, when Big Wolf walks to his tree, Little Wolf is missing and he feels loneliness. When the two are reunited at the end of the story, they both learn an enduring lesson about friendship.
The Paper Flower Tree: A restored treasure, The Paper Flower Tree was created and illustrated by Society of Illustrators’ award winner Jacqueline Ayer for her own children. Written while Ayer lived in Thailand, the book’s main character, a young girl named Miss Moon, hopes to grow a paper tree. Her unyielding optimism and joy remain unbroken despite the cynicism of other villagers and in the face of doubt.
Sun and Moon: Sun and Moon is a compilation of ten Indian folk tales illustrated by tribal artists. These stories reveal the magic and mystery of the sun and moon and span grand themes such as time, being and love with a poetic simplicity ideal for children. Created by hand with traditional Indian dyes on silkscreen, this book introduces global artistic traditions to children.
On a Magical Do-Nothing Day: Boredom is a word abhorred in today’s world. However, children can create imaginative and wondrous adventures from nothing. This is precisely what happens to the main character of On a Magical Do Nothing Day. The young protagonist encounters nature, connecting with snails and digging in the dirt to discover small, hidden treasures.
Bertolt: The charming story of a tree named Bertolt and the boy who loved him. From his perch on Bertolt’s branches, the boy watches the secret life of his town unfold as spends many happy hours there throughout the seasons. Told by the boy, a self-described loner, the story takes on issues such as bullying, solitude and loss.
Here We Are: Starting with a view of the universe and zooming in, author Oliver Jeffers provides children with a thoughtful perspective our place within the universe. He shares the diversity of people, animals, and locations with fanciful illustrations that ignite the imagination. The scope of the book embraces all forms of life within the known universe and portrays humanity as a global village whose job it is to care for Earth.
Warm & Fuzzy February Book Drive
The Children’s Foundation of America is currently collecting books to include in our “Warm & Fuzzy February” care packages for children in foster care. To contribute to our book drive, please drop off brand-new, unused books to our office between Monday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 175 N. Indian Hill Blvd. Suite B-200, Claremont, CA 91711 by February 19, 2018. For more information, contact us at 909-426-0773 or email donations@trinityys.org.
Kelly Baumann, AmeriCorps VIP Fellow
Kelly specializes in creating and optimizing digital content for the Children’s Foundation of America blog. She has ten years of experience as a marketer and has held a variety of positions including content writer, social media coordinator, public relations executive and content strategist. At Children’s Foundation of America, Kelly focuses on sharing stories and information to educate the public about the issues faced by children that Children’s Foundation of America serves.
Tel: (909)426-0773 | Email: kbaumann@trinityys.org
How to Help Children in Need to Succeed
While state and federal programs provide some of the basic necessities, non-profits are tasked with filling in the gap that exists between necessity and well-being. A UNICEF report on childhood deprivation outlined 14 essential items required for children to have a normal childhood. While this did include food, shelter and housing, it also included many items provided by the Children’s Foundation of America, such as:
- Age-appropriate books suitable for knowledge level (not including schoolbooks).
- Outdoor equipment such as bicycles, roller skates, scooters and skateboards.
- Regular leisure activities including swimming, playing an instrument, participating in clubs and teams.
- Indoor games to enhance learning and development.
- Money to participate in school field trips and other enrichment activities.
- Opportunity to celebrate special occasions such as holidays and birthdays.
Children in foster care, residential therapeutic and mental health programs often lack access to the essential developmental items listed above. The Children’s Foundation of America identifies and accesses resources for these children to learn, heal and thrive.
How to Bridge the Gap
Through community partnerships, volunteer programs and donations, the Children’s Foundation of America seeks to alleviate this problem by providing help to improve the overall well-being of children in need. To help the Children’s Foundation of America bridge the gap, visit the Get Involved page to volunteer, donate or participate in an awareness campaign to Be the Difference!
Kelly Baumann, AmeriCorps VIP Fellow
Kelly specializes in creating and optimizing digital content for the Children’s Foundation of America blog. She has ten years of experience as a marketer and has held a variety of positions including content writer, social media coordinator, public relations executive and content strategist. At Children’s Foundation of America, Kelly focuses on sharing stories and information to educate the public about the issues faced by children that Children’s Foundation of America serves.
Tel: (909)426-0773 | Email: kbaumann@trinityys.org
Local Mom Donates Nearly 100 Books to Kids in Need
Monique Cane wanted to find a way to give back to her local community. As a consultant for children’s book company Usborne and mother-of-three, two issues remain close to her heart: helping kids in need and providing engaging books to children.
“I wanted to touch the lives of kids who don’t have control of their lives and give them books they’ll cherish,” Monique explained. With the cooperation of family, friends and Usborne Books, Monique raised funds to purchase approximately 100 books for children in need. Her three boys, Hayden (11), Austin (8) and Rylan (5) joined her at the Children’s Foundation of America’s donation center to drop off the books, playing and laughing the entire time.
Monique discovered the Children’s Foundation of America after searching for a local organization that delivers resources directly into the hands of children. She chose books ranging from infant touch-and-feel books and phonics readers to books for teens. Monique plans to make her book donation a yearly tradition, enlisting the help of friends, family and Usborne Books to grow the effort. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of my friends and family. Next year’s goal is to double our contribution.”
The Impact Books Have on a Child’s Life
Children need constant engagement in age-appropriate literature to develop the reading skills required to succeed in school and beyond. Vital resources such as books and learning materials are often scarce for displaced children. Because there is a small window of time for developing a love of reading, these children can quickly fall behind their classmates. Thanks to Monique’s donation, local foster children will have the books they need to sustain a lifelong love of reading.
The Children’s Foundation of America relies on donations like Monique’s to help children in need. Click here to find how you can help Be the Difference in a child’s life.
Kelly Baumann, AmeriCorps VIP Fellow
Kelly specializes in creating and optimizing digital content for the Children’s Foundation of America blog. She has ten years of experience as a marketer and has held a variety of positions including content writer, social media coordinator, public relations executive and content strategist. At Children’s Foundation of America, Kelly focuses on sharing stories and information to educate the public about the issues faced by children that Children’s Foundation of America serves.
Tel: (909)426-0773 | Email: kbaumann@trinityys.org