Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party!

Festival of Children Foundation and The Happiness Project are bringing some holiday cheer to 600 underprivileged children at a Christmas Party being organized just for them on Friday, December 6th at South Coast Plaza.

The event, called "Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party," will take place in Santa's Village at South Coast Plaza from 9:00 p.m. until midnight (after the center closes to regular business).  Homeless youth, ages 5-16, from Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove and Santa Ana, California will be brought on buses to the shopping center.  As each child departs the bus they'll be matched with a volunteer who will accompany them through a variety of activities including photos with Santa, rides on the reindeer carousel, arts and crafts, nail, hair and makeup stations, and face painting.  They'll enjoy food generously donated by Aloha Plate (the recent winner of Food Network's Great Food Truck Race), Chick-Fil-A, Creme de la Creme, Quattro Caffe and whole Foods Market Newport Beach.

South Coast Plaza retailers are "Sharing the Spirit" too.  Sanrio's Hello Kitty will help supervise their sand painting craft table.  At LEGO, children can build a LEGO mini model to take home with them.  Puzzle Zoo is providing craft projects for boys and girls, and Calico Critters' Bell Hopscotch rabbit will meet the kids in attendance.

Bare Minerals makeup artists will offer some holiday sparkle for the girls, and the Microsoft store will set up Xbox and Kinect stations.  400 volunteers will be on hand to ensure that the event is a success.

Festival of Children Foundation would like to thank the Center for Living Peace for helping to sponsor the "Sharing the Spirit" holiday party.

Festival of Children Foundation raises $208,575 for Orange County Children's Charities

Providence Speech and Hearing Center riders

Festival of Children Foundation invited 10 Orange County nonprofit organizations to fund raise at a signature event we call "The Carousel of Possible Dreams."  Over 100 attendees cheered volunteer riders as they went round and round, and up and down, on King Arthur's Carrousel at Disneyland Resort to raise money for their organizations.

The early morning event, held on November 6th at 7:00 a.m., raised $208,575.  Funds raised will go directly to these 10 organizations:

All American Boys Chorus

America on Track

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Orange County

Festival of Children Foundation

Girls Incorporated of Orange County

Make-A-Wish Orange County & The Inland Empire

Pacific Symphony

Pretend City Children's Museum

Providence Speech and Hearing Center

Wyland Foundation

The Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser was held in celebration of Festival of Children Foundation's 10th Anniversary.  "How fitting to host Carousel of Possible Dreams at the place where dreams come true every day," said Jill Bolton, director, Community Relations, Disneyland Resort.  "We are honored to host this program, which aligns with our focus on promoting the happiness and well-being of kids and families."

Girls Inc. of Orange County volunteer riders

We're going to Disneyland!

Festival of Children Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary at the happiest place on earth .... Disneyland. To help us celebrate, 10 children's charities will participate in The Carousel of Possible Dreams aboard  King Arthur's Carrousel at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim on November 6th from 7-9am.

Participating charities include:

All-American Boys Chorus

America on Track

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Orange County

Festival of Children Foundation

Girls Incorporated of Orange County

Make-A-Wish Orange County & the Inland Empire

Pacific Symphony

Pretend City Children's Museum

Providence Speech and Hearing Center

Wyland Foundation

Each of these nonprofit organizations has assembled a team of riders ready to take the reins and raise money for their charity's individual dreams.  To learn more about what monies raised will support, or to make an online donation, we invite you to visit www.ridethecarousel.org   

Festival of Children Foundation would like to thank the Disneyland Resort for making their magnificent King Arthur Carrousel available for our Possible Dream fundraiser.  This is the first time Disneyland's Carrousel has been utilized as a vehicle to raise funds for 10 Orange County children's charities! 

Meet the National Child Awareness Month Youth Ambassadors!

Festival of Children Foundation has once again collaborated with YSA on the National Child Awareness Month Youth Ambassador Program.  The year-long Ambassadorship trains youth (ages 16-22) to combat critical issues facing children.  Each Ambassador receives support, advocacy training in Washington, D.C. and planning guidance for their respective service projects.

Fifty-one Youth Ambassadors were selected through a competitive application process, and selected, one per state and the District of Columbia, to create a powerful network of young people who raise their collective voice in service to others. 

The Youth Ambassadors (shown above) each received an all-expense paid, 3-day leadership training in Washington, D.C. and a $1,000 grant to support their service projects in their own communities.  "These teens and young adults are the future of philanthropy," said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director of Festival of Children Foundation.

The young leaders will spend the year ahead developing and leading cause-related service projects focused on children's issues in their respective communities.  Their issue areas are diverse and specific to the community - from access to educational opportunities to addressing bullying - but their mission is shared:  to create change which raises awareness and positively impacts the lives of young people! 

Shining a spotlight on children's charities during Festival of Children at South Coast Plaza!



Childhelp Orange County Chapter is just one of over 50 children's charities that will be on site during Festival of Children at South Coast Plaza this September.  Every weekend in September, families can participate in more than 100 events and learn about child-focused charitable groups. 

Activities include arts and crafts, singing and dance performances, and more.  Visitors can also check out Canstruction OC's giant fantasy structures made entirely out of canned foods.

This September is special, as we also celebrate National Child Awareness Month (NCAM).  NCAM is an effort led by Festival of Children Foundation to focus the attention of our nation on the most critical issues facing children today.

This month, and all year long, we're proud to shine a spotlight on children and the nonprofit organizations that serve them. 

So make plans to bring the entire family to Festival of Children this month.  All of the events are free to the public.  For a schedule, visit www.festivalofchildren.org. 

Carousel of Possible Dreams raises $150,309 for Chicago Kids

On Saturday, August 3rd, over 180 attendees (including Ronald McDonald!) climbed aboard a 19th Century French carousel to raise $150,309 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

"It was a nice intersection of friend-raising, fundraising and people working together all at an unbelievable estate," said Doug Porter, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana (shown above with Sandy Segerstrom Daniels and you know who).

The Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills, IL was the site of Festival of Children Foundation's most recent Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser.  The Carousel of Possible Dreams is an innovative fundraiser of Festival of Children Foundation.  "The concept of the Carousel of Possible Dreams is at the heart of Festival of Children Foundation.  It's about people coming together collaboratively to make a positive difference for kids.  Festival of Children Foundation supports children's charities across the country, including some extraordinary organizations in the Chicago area," added Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Founder and Executive Director of Festival of Children Foundation.

The Carousel of Possible Dreams puts the "FUN" in Fundraising!





Festival of Children Foundation is proud to partner with the Sanfilippo Foundation in Chicago to present The Carousel of Possible Dreams on Saturday, August 3rd.  This unique carousel fundraiser will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Chicago civic, business and philanthropic leaders will test their fundraising prowess aboard the Eden Palais, a spectacular 19th Century European Salon Carousel housed at the private Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills, Illinois.   Armed only with their cell phones, riders will dial for donations as they go round and round and up and down on the carousel.  Riders will not be allowed off the carousel until they've achieved their fundraising goals for the charities.  100% of money raised will go directly to the nonprofit organizations.  How long it takes is up to the riders! 

The goal is to raise $300,000 for these two children's organizations.  We invite you to visit www.festivalofchildren.org for information on how you can help support this unique fundraiser.