Birthday Party Raises $800 to Help AIDS Orphans

What were these suburban Chicago 8th graders up to playing Laser Tag? Raising money for Kids Caring 4 Kids as part of a birthday party attended by more than 60 teens! Earlier Kendall had spoken at their school (St. Petronille’s, Glen Ellyn IL) and challenged students to step up and make a difference in kids’ lives in Africa.

Twins Emily and Cara Mattaliano, along with their cousin Natalie Noland, caught the inspiration and decided to hold a combined birthday party. But this wasn't your ordinary party. The invitation said NO presents—no gift cards to Starbucks, iTunes or the movies. Instead, everyone was asked to bring a donation for Kids Caring 4 Kids to benefit orphans in Africa living with AIDS … kids who barely have enough to eat, who often care for younger siblings, or who sometimes can’t go to school because they can’t afford a uniform. When Kendall joined them for the check presentation … WOW! A whopping $800 from the nearly 50 kids who came. Thanks so much for having big hearts!

What can $800 do for orphans and vulnerable children in Africa?  LOTS!!!

• Feed 130 kids a nutritious lunch every day for a month at Hope for Life Center, Kenya – a community center built largely with funds from KC4K.
• Provide 80 mosquito bed nets to protect 80 children and their families from malaria, the biggest childhood killer in Africa.
• Provide food, clothing, and school fees for two Kenyan AIDS orphans for a year who live in a dorm built thanks to supporters of KC4K.

More Success Stories

• Harrison Street School students from the Geneva (IL) Park District's "Kids Zone" raised more than $400 during "Pay It Forward Week." Students decorated jars to take home to collect spare change; some did chores for extra money or donated part of their allowance. At school, they had a Tootsie-Popalooza...selling tootsie pops during lunch for $1.

• Katie Wagner and friends at St. Petronille School (IL) went Christmas Caroling 4 a Cause and collected $200 in donations.
• Madison Mintner, a 6-year-old from Florida, sold candy at a church festival and raised $86 because she wanted to make a difference. Her well advertised garage sale raised nearly $300 more for KC4K. Thanks Madi!

• The immaculate Conception Youth Group in North Carolina raised $5,000 through their 3 on 3 basketball tournament and t-shirt sales held two years in a row!  It was so successful last year that they repeated it this year. Thanks!
• Hauser Junior High, Riverside (IL) had a Survivor Karaoke competition and raised $2,285. Students belted out their favorite songs and students voted (with money) for their favorite performances. The majority of the funds came from a concession stand at the finale.
• St. Francis High School had a “Shave a Teacher’s Head Drive.” Students voted, with donations, for the teacher they wanted to see with a shaved head. The “lucky” teacher with the most votes agreed to shave her (yes, her) head. They raised $1,600!
• Wayzata West Middle School in Minnesota raised $1,000 for KC4K by donating a portion of ticket proceeds from the school play. 
• Pleasant Hill Elementary School in Wheaton, IL raised $1,308 by hosting a penny war.
• In Glen Ellyn, IL, students at St. Petronille School raised over $6,000 through t-shirt sales and a penny war. An 8th grade graduation party at St. Pets  raised over $800.
• St. Agnes School in Chicago gathered $813 through t-shirt sales and a “dress down day” where students gave a donation to wear jeans instead of uniforms. 
• The youth group at Wheaton Bible Church (IL) collected loose change and brought in over $7,000.
• Sandburg Elementary School, Wheaton, IL raised over $3,000 through a range of fundraising projects (e.g., homemade greeting cards, jewelry, hand painted pumpkins, etc.). One second grade classroom was so pumped that they continued raising money all year—$200 more!
• Smith Barney staff in Chicago donated approximately $12,000 (including corporate matching gifts) in response to Kendall’s presentation to a lunch-time group of about 70 financial advisors. Most earmarked their gift to help KC4K develop a professionally produced DVD to inspire groups of kids across the country to have compassionate hearts.
• Somerset County Technical School held a t-shirt design contest and gathered $434 for KC4K.
• Westfield High School in Virginia dedicated their world music concert to Kids Caring 4 Kids. Students sold t-shirts and accepted donations to the tune of over $2,000! 
• Sixth graders at St. Michael's Church in Wheaton, IL brought in $1,300 by selling Krispy Kreme donuts and KC4K t-shirts. 
• The Chicago Fire Juniors held a middle school soccer tournament and donated nearly $600.
• Word of Life Lutheran School collected student offerings at their chapels and raised $598 for KC4K!
• Lake Forest High School (IL) sold KC4K t-shirts to the tune of $550. 
• St James the Less (IN), also sold t-shirts and accepted donations, bringing in $325.  And elementary students at an Oak Park (IL) elementary school did the same and raised $260.
• Thanks to the The Diocese of Gary (IN) and their summer conference for high school students, KC4K received a gift of over $1,100.

Brainstorm with your friends at school, church, or your workplace to see what you could do to help bring help and care to impoverished African children impacted by AIDS. Or check out our growing list of fundraising ideas here!