Online Fundraiser for Royal Family KIDS Camp, #273 - undefined, ID

- WHAT IS ROYAL FAMILY KIDS CAMP, AND WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS ONLINE FUNDRAISER? "You're worthless." "You're good-for-nothing." "Why must you be so annoying?" "I don't have time to listen!" "Don't bother me!" "You're a mistake!" These are the things far too many children hear on a regular basis, and a lot of these children are right here within our Lewis-Clark Valley and the surrounding area. These kids hear these things (and far worse than this) from their guardians, parents, and/or other family members. Many also deal with sexual and physical abuse, come from broken homes, and have been neglected or abandoned. Others still have bounced from place to place all their lives and don't know what it is like to have a family, a home, a safe environment, or even to just be a kid. There are children who have taken on the role of a parent to their sibling(s) at a young age (some as early as 4 or 5 years old) because their parent(s)/guardian(s) aren't present either mentally or physically. It is recorded that annually, 3.6 million cases of child abuse, neglect or abandonment are reported in America, and one of these victims dies every six hours due to that abuse. In the US, approximately 408,425 children are in the foster care system, and at least 50% of the girls are pregnant by age 19. Prison inmates who were once in the foster system is a staggering 74%. Roughly 50% of young adults were incarcerated 2 years after "aging out" of the system, and about 80% of death row inmates were once foster care children.* These statistics are quite disturbing. This is where we come in. Royal Family KIDS Camp (RFKC) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1985 by Wayne and Diane Tesch. RFKC provides week-long summer camps and clubs for children in the foster care system who suffer from various types of abuse, neglect, and abandonment. This organization was created to give these children a safe and nurturing environment, a chance to have fun and just be children, to show them their worth, and to let them know that there are indeed people who love and care for them and their well-being. This year, in 2016, there are approximately 201 RFKC camps and clubs located in the United States. Twenty-six more are located internationally. On average, it costs about $35,500 to send 48 children and 57 staff to camp. Because this is a nonprofit organization, 100% of the funds are raised by the volunteers and goes directly to the camps and clubs, costing the social workers, parents, and/or guardians absolutely nothing to send the children. Since nearly $36,000 is quite a large sum, you may be wondering, what all does this money provide? Below are just a few of the things this budget covers. - Room and board - Transportation - Memory bags for the children to take home - Hygiene products for the children - Supplies for the activity centers - Supplies and gifts for the camp-wide birthday party for all the children who attend - Extra clothes and shoes - Camp t-shirts for both children and staff It costs $500 for one child to attend camp, and about $250 for one volunteer. At Royal Family KIDS Camp, we strive to treat each child like royalty. The focus of this camp is always on serving the children. We want these kids to know that they aren’t worthless, a mistake, a burden, or a nuisance. Each and every one of them is special because they have been created in the image of God. Despite what they may hear and experience at home, we want to show them they are indeed loved and that they do matter. How can you help? By keeping us volunteers, the children, and the entire camp in your prayers. Without God’s help and guidance, this camp is impossible, and we cannot serve these children. Please pray that we will keep God at the forefront of all we do, and that our words and actions and camp will bring glory and honor to Him. Another way is by monetary donation. Every penny counts and gets us just one step closer to our goal of taking 48 kids and 57 staff to camp ($36,000). A Go-Fund Me page has been set up for this online event: https://www.gofundme.com/hchd3ysk. This fundraiser will continue from now until the end of May. Our Lewiston, Idaho Royal Family KIDS Camp takes place June 19th-24th, 2016. Please share this with your friends, families, coworkers, bosses, and acquaintances and get the word out about the Royal Family KIDS Camp in Lewiston, Idaho! Thank you so much in advance. :) *Statistics provided by the US Administration for Children and Families, the US Department of Justice, the Casey Foundation and the National Foster Care Coalition. 2010-11.