Warm & Fuzzy February Campaign Provides Comforts for Foster Youth
To a child affected by abuse, neglect or abandonment, small comforts mean the world to them. This is why every year the Children’s Foundation of America (CFA) holds our annual Warm and Fuzzy February campaign to provide cozy comforts for foster youth. This year, we were able to provide over 1,000 children with care items for winter!
Book Drive
For children who experience trauma, reading becomes an outlet for them. According to Health Line, reading helps reduce stress, aids sleep, alleviates depression, and strengthens the brain — all of which have positive benefits on a child’s mental health. Thanks to the help of social influencer, literacy and children’s causes advocate, Zayda Love, books were purchased from our Amazon wish list and used to contribute to our care packages.
Cards for Kids
Volunteer Action Hero, Jacqueline Legazcue, held a “Cards for Kids” volunteer activity over Zoom to create and collect cards to include in our Warm and Fuzzy February care packages. Some participants shared their own experience with foster care and their desire to help children who are currently in the foster care system.
Jamz & Jammies
Jacqueline also hosted a virtual fundraiser called “Jamz & Jammies,” where guests could dress in pajamas and dance to their favorite songs in order to raise funds for the campaign. During the event, she donned headphones and the name DJ PJ, playing danceable tunes for all ages. There was even a text-to-donate option to request songs. Some favorites included “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, “I Like to Move It” from Madagascar, “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars, and “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys.
The event also featured a virtual concert segment with a performance by Katie Ferrara, an award-winning alternative pop singer/songwriter from Los Angeles who writes honest and authentic music. Katie lends her voice to causes like ours to raise awareness for projects she is passionate about. A highlight of her performance was the song “No Bad Days,” which was featured on the Hallmark Channel series The Good Witch. CFA Director of Development, Jenelle Phillips, stated that it is her new favorite song.
“It’s a great reminder for all of us to find the positive in each day and to keep a heart of gratitude,” Jenelle said. “It’s particularly a great message for the children we serve. Though things are not easy for them, there are wonderful opportunities and people in their life lifting them up in support.”
Our Impact
Participants of the campaign donated cards, pajamas, clothing, books, funds, and their time to make the project a success. Through our various fundraisers, we raised a total of $2,123 to contribute to the campaign.
Thanks to our amazing donors, CFA provided care packages filled with books, stuffed animals, cookies and winter wear or pajamas to 226 foster youth at Trinity Youth Services. Foster teens living on residential campuses received much-requested hoodies, which they were very grateful for.
We were also able to provide 885 children at Citrus Elementary School, Hannah’s Children’s Homes, Children’s Advocacy Center, Foothill Family Shelter, and RARCC with stuffed animals and warm clothing. In total, we supported 1,111 children through the 2021 Warm and Fuzzy February campaign!
This year’s campaign was sponsored by Sharon Nagel and Cindy Rainey with special thanks to Sysco Riverside for providing cookies included in care packages and The City of Claremont Human Services for providing stuffed animals. Thank you to everyone who graciously donated to make sure each child felt the support they need and deserve.
Family Night Packs
In addition to our traditional Warm and Fuzzy February care packages, we were also able to purchase items to compile 72 family night care packages for foster families. Each family night pack included popcorn, candy, soda, DVD, and board game or puzzle! Twelve packs were also distributed to residential campuses for the foster youth living there. They received snacks as well as books to replenish their libraries. Thank you to a generous anonymous donor for making this possible.
Be the Difference
We appreciate everyone who joined us for this year’s Warm and Fuzzy campaign and for being the difference in the lives of children in need. If you would like to contribute to promote literacy among foster youth, donate to our Zayda Literacy Fund, where three foster youth who write the most compelling book reports will be granted $500 each for their imaginative ambitions. Every dollar helps to grow this annual initiative.
Isabel Millward-Pena
Isabel contributes content for our social media, blog, newsletters and promotional materials. She recently earned a bachelor’s degree in English from California State University San Bernardino and is currently working on her master’s degree. Isabel began working with our team as an intern and, luckily for us, never left. Prior to her work at CFA, she was a substitute instructional aid and a supervisor at Starbucks. She has also volunteered as an aid at local elementary schools and notably achieved “Partner of the Quarter” at Starbucks in 2017.
Jamz & Jammies
Get ready to celebrate with us during our Warm & Fuzzy February campaign, which provides cozy comforts for children in foster care including pajamas, blankets, slipper socks, winter clothing, and books.
Join us at our first virtual concert and dance party: Jamz & Jammies, hosted by Jacqueline Legazcue and performances by Katie Ferrara and DJ PJ. We will have music and an online space for you to dance with your friends and family while wearing your favorite pajamas, onesies, or cozy clothes! Feel free to log in or out during the event whenever you like.
Request songs by donating through your mobile device! Create an account now, so you’re ready to make requests during the event! We’ll also send you fun text alert reminders. You can opt out at any time. Once your account is created, make a song request quickly and easily leading up to the event or during.
All ages are welcome! Miss your friends or family during quarantine? Send them this registration link so they can jam in their jammies and support our cause too! Access to the Zoom event is administered per household. Siblings, parents, kids, roommates are all welcome to hop on camera with you!
All proceeds will go toward raising funds for pajamas for local foster youth. Be the difference and register for Jamz & Jammies now!
Register Now!