Kind to Kids helps brighten holidays for youth in foster care

Kind to Kids Foundation brings love, hope and comfort to the 500 children in foster care in Delaware.

During the recent holiday season, Kind to Kids kept the season bright by distributing thousands of gifts to Delaware’s families and group homes caring for foster children.

Bay to Beach Builders is a major supporter of Kind to Kids Foundation programs and services. Each year, the entire team is on hand to help out children in foster care.

Many foster families face financial hardships, and there often isn’t a lot of money left over for toys and gifts. Kind to Kids gives each set of foster parents large red holiday bags filled with gifts to put under the tree.

“No child should feel left out during the holiday season. We want every child in foster care to have hope and happiness with new toys, books and gifts,” said Caroline Jones, Kind to Kids Foundation president and founder. “The younger children worry that Santa won’t find them in their new foster home. And Kind to Kids makes sure that he does!”

Kind to Kids held holiday gift-giving celebrations in Milford  and New Castle to ensure these deserving children had special gifts from Santa under their trees.

The two-day,

drive-through event allowed foster family members to stay in their vehicles while holiday bags filled with age-appropriate gifts were handed out for each child. Both foster and biological children living in the same household received gifts.

Age-appropriate new toys and books for every interest were in each bag. Toys and gifts included baby rattles, Lego playsets, Barbies, baby dolls, sports balls, action figures, arts and crafts kits, electronics and gift cards for teens, and much more. Kiddie stories and books on colors and shapes were given out for toddlers, while books on sports, history, science, geography, space, dance, art, fiction, and autobiographies were distributed for school-age children.

“It’s heartwarming so see how our community cares about its most vulnerable children. The results have been amazing – people are really embracing the online way of giving this year,” said Jones.

For 11 years, Kind to Kids has put in a months-long effort to collect new toys, books and electronics gifts for children and teens in foster care.

“These are difficult times for any family, and the issues are magnified for foster families. Finances are especially tight this year, and we don’t want any child to be left out,” said Deric Parker, owner of Bay to Beach Builders. “We want each child in foster care to get toys and gifts during the holiday season.”

Santa Claus was on hand at each event to smile and wave to the children as gifts were distributed. In preparation, Kind to Kids launched a broad effort with over 20 community partners to capture donations in a variety of ways.

This year, presents came preassembled and packaged so each family could drive through and collect a large sack of gifts tailored just for their children.

Community supporters include Barnes and Noble Booksellers of Christiana Mall, which donated thousands of books that were distributed in each of the children’s holiday bags. Holiday toy drive support was gratefully received from Target, Rite Aid, and toy drives including Rep. Mike Smith, R-Hockessin, Associated Builders and Contractors, Wilmington Friends School, businesses, churches, schools and many more.