Kidz4Kidz Florida – Learn, Lead, Lift a Life!
Brother and sister Luke and Maya Sherwood, ages 11 and 13, created and developed a charitable organization that has gained notoriety not just in their local area of the Panhandle of Florida, but across the entire state. Initially started in the spring of 2015, Kidz4Kidz Florida (K4KFL) has grown to become a program that is in the midst of a statewide launch. Kidz4Kidz Florida strives to empower kids to develop leadership, charity and entrepreneurship within themselves as they work to help underprivileged and underserved children within their community and across the state by providing fun, enriching and educational extracurricular activities to those in need.
Luke recalls one main reason that inspired him to start the program: “Every year for Christmas, we help find and purchase gifts for kids in need in our community. When I saw that one less-fortunate girl only asked for one thing on her list, it made me realize that even though she has very little, she didn’t even ask for much. That sparked something in me as I realized how fortunate I am, and I wanted to try to help.”
Kidz4Kidz Florida is a program of the Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS), the state’s largest and oldest charity for children and families. While CHS helps abused and foster children and provides basic needs for them such as food and shelter, K4KFL provides fun things for them to experience, what Luke and Maya call having the chance to “experience the ‘true meaning’ of being a kid.” One hundred percent of all proceeds go directly to help children gain life experiences that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to enjoy, such as buying books at the school book fair, playing sports, or going bowling or to an arcade.
Kidz4Kidz Florida is in the process of launching a kid-led statewide campaign, and you can help! Kids age 8-21 are encouraged to visit the website www.k4kfl.org where they can register and create their own page, add pictures or a personal video, and start fundraising for children in need! Many kids have signed up, and there is a prize system where you earn prizes at certain fundraising benchmarks. Kids that register have the chance to stand up for kids in their communities and to make a difference. “Try putting yourself in their spot,” Maya says. “How amazing would it be if a group of kids your age started helping you and providing you with things you never have even dreamt of?”
Please visit www.k4kfl.org today to start making a difference in yourself as well as in the lives of others!
[button color=”blue” size=”large” type=”3d” target=” link=”]NOTA DEL EDITOR: Luke and Maya, los fundadores de esta fundación sin ánimo de lucro, fueron unos de los presentadores en la Conferencia de Liderazgo de United for a Good Cause Inc. Que admirable trabajo hacen estos chicos “por otros niños” por medio de su programa. Invitamos a todos a que entren a la página de su fundación. También, tienen un concurso en el cual personas de 8 – 21 años de edad, pueden “Ganar una Televisión de 40 pulgadas”. ¡Busca ese anuncio en esta edición de Conexión! NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Luke and Maya Sherwood, the founders of this charitable organization, were also speakers at the recent Youth Leadership Conference organized by United for a Good Cause Inc. What a great job these kids do “for other kids” via their program. We invite everyone to access their website to learn more about it. They have a “Win a 40 inch Flat Screen TV” opportunity they are giving to kids ages 8 – 21 years old! Look for the related ad in this edition of Conexión![/button]