Kids of all ages turn out to write 507 letters to U.S. troops in one afternoon!

Festival of Children Foundation and Team Kids collaborated on "Letters from Home" on Saturday, April 27th.  The afternoon was designed to recognize Global Youth Service Day with a goal to set the record for the most cards written to U.S. troops in one afternoon. 

Kids of all ages were invited to South Coast Plaza's Carousel Court where they were given art supplies and paper to create their letters.  507 letters were written in a four hour window of time.

"I know first hand how incredible it is to receive mail from when I was deployed in Iraq," said Team Kids Program Director Jamie "Doc" Havig.  "Nothing raises the spirits of our troops like a hand written letter from a child!"

"This project mobilized children from California to Virginia to send much deserved messages of appreciation to our troops serving abroad," said Team Kids Founder and CEO Julie Hudash.  "Our collaboration with Team Kids resulted in a record setting afternoon that benefits our troops.  That's very exciting!" added Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Founder and Executive Director of Festival of Children Foundation.

Celebrate Global Youth Service Day by helping us "Stuff the Bus" for our troops!

In celebration of Global Youth Service Day kids and their families are invited to join Festival of Children Foundation and Team Kids for "Letters from Home," an afternoon designed to set the record for the most cards written to our troops in one afternoon.

Kids of all ages will meet in South Coast Plaza's Carousel Court and be given art supplies to create their cards.  The goal is to "stuff the bus" - Team Kids' little military bus - which will be parked out at the Z'Tejas restaurant entrance off of Bristol Street.  Operation Gratitude will handle distributing the cards to the troops. 

The day will conclude with a Presidential Award being given to middle school and high school members of the Team Kids Youth Council for outstanding service.  Uniformed soldiers and officers will also be on hand for photo opportunities and to interact with the crowd.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, April 27th from Noon - 4:00 p.m. at South Coast Plaza's Carousel Court.  3333 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA  92626

For more information about our collaborators visit www.gysd.org, www.teamkids.org and www.operationgratitude.org

Or telephone (714) 438-3286.

The Possible Dream Makes Dreams Come True

Representatives from 10 Orange County children's charities join Sandy Segerstrom Daniels at
The Possible Dream check presentation ceremony held March 1, 2013 at The Capital Grille restaurant at South Coast Plaza.



Festival of Children Foundation recently awarded $60,000 in grant money to 10 Orange County children's charities as part of The Possible Dream 2013 grant program.

All of Festival of Children Foundation's Orange County-based member organizations were invited to apply for the grant money.  A panel of six diverse judges reviewed 48 applications.  Proposals were evaluated based on the following criteria:

Need

Innovation & Creativity

Assessment of Outcomes

Cost Effectiveness

Strength of Collaboration

After careful consideration, the following children's charities were selected to receive grants based on their dreams:

America on Track (Santa Ana)

Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley (Huntington Beach & Fountain Valley)

Down Syndrome Association of Orange County (Costa Mesa)

Families Forward (Irvine)

Family Support Network (Fullerton)

Hands Together (Santa Ana)

Orange County Children's Therapeutic Arts Center (Santa Ana)

Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim (Anaheim)

United Cerebral Palsy of Orange County (Irvine)

"These member organizations submitted proposals for tangible, measurable, collaborative projects that will improve the lives of children.  We hope this grant money will help these ten dynamic nonprofits achieve their dreams to the very fullest of its potential,"  said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Founder & Executive Director of Festival of Children Foundation.

Riding for Charity Dollars

On Saturday, August 3, 2013, a 19th Century French carousel will serve as a fundraising machine for Festival of Children Foundation's signature fundraiser "Carousel of Possible Dreams" benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Riders will raise funds using their cellphones while riding the Eden Palais Carousel located on the Salfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills, Illinois.

For more information, visit www.festivalofchildren.org.



Public is Invited to Give Underprivileged Kids Christmas

Festival of Children Foundation and The Happiness Project will be giving 500 less-fortunate children in Orange County a Christmas they won't soon forget.  "Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party" will take place on December 14th at 9pm at South Coast Plaza (after the center closes to regular business). The special evening will give area shelter and motel kids a dream holiday experience, during which may otherwise be a difficult holiday season. 

The night will include food, activities, gifts and games.  Each child will visit with Santa Claus and receive an age and gender appropriate gift bag full of toys, school supplies, gift cards, clothes and shoes.

To learn more about Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party and how you can volunteer and/or sponsor a child to go, visit www.festivalofchildren.org.  Happy Holidays!

Wanted! Motivated and Generous Bidders for Share Our Wine Foundation's Auction Orange County

Attention wine enthusiasts!  Share Our Wine Foundation's Auction Orange County, the premier luxury wine auction in Southern California, will take place on Saturday, November 17th at 6:00 p.m. in the beautiful Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.  The auction, which is open to the public, will feature over 250 exclusive and unique silent and live wine auction lots. 

Now in its 8th year, Auction Orange County has raised nearly $800,000 for local children's charities.  With the help of fundraising auctioneer David Reynolds, the goal is to break $1,000,000 this year.  Proceeds will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, Orangewood Children's Foundation and Festival of Children Foundation's "The Possible Dream" grant program.

"Attendees will enjoy wonderful food and free flowing wine tastings from top vintners as they search for rare wines to add to their private collections.  You'll be the most anticipated guest at the Thanksgiving table when you show up with wine from Auction Orange County," promises Danielle Staffieri, CEO of Share Our Wine Foundation.

Tickets are $200 per person.  For more information, visit www.shareourwine.org. 

"Sandy's Army" gathers in Washington, D.C.

51 Youth Ambassadors, one from each state and the District of Columbia, gathered in the nation's Capital on September 19 & 20 to celebrate September's National Child Awareness Month.   The group, ages 16 to 22, received funding and leadership training as part of a national collaboration between Festival of Children Foundation and YSA (Youth Service America).

At a reception in their honor on Capitol Hill, many of the Youth Ambassadors were introduced to their elected officials in the House and Senate - leaders who, just like the Youth Ambassadors - believe in service to others.  "These Youth Ambassadors are finding their voice, taking action, and inspiring others to do so as well.  Next year, these newly minted Youth Ambassadors will be invited to mentor the next group," said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Founder of Festival of Children Foundation.

Shown above is Sandy and her "army" of Youth Ambassadors ready to get their service projects started back in their own communities.