Who Encouraged You?

When you were a child or young adult, was there someone in your life who encouraged you, showed you the ropes and helped you become who you are today? That person was a mentor to you.

January is National Mentoring Month. National Mentoring Month focuses national attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of us can work together to increase the number of mentors to assure brighter futures for our young people.

According to the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, children between the ages of 12 through 17 are within the developmental stage most able to best absorb and benefit from the skills of a mentor.

View our list of Festival of Children Foundation's member organizations that offer mentoring programs in your community.

Make your New Year's resolution to get involved and be a mentor!

Sandy Segerstrom Daniels honored by OC METRO Magazine

On Tuesday, November 1, 2011, OC METRO magazine honored Orange County's Hottest 25 People of 2011. Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director of Festival of Children Foundation, was one of this year's honorees. Sandy was behind the effort that led the U.S. Senate to recognize September 2011 as National Child Awareness Month.

"These are Orange County's movers and shakers - the people shaping business, social, educational and philanthropic circles throughout Orange County," said Steve Churm, CEO of Churm Media and publisher of OC METRO. http://www.ocmetro.com

Congratulations Sandy!

Carousel of Possible Dreams

On Tuesday, May 3, people from around Orange County, CA hopped onboard the carousel at South Coast Plaza retail center to raise funds for innovative therapeutic horse-related programs that assist children in overcoming obstacles - from physical and mental disabilities to deep emotional issues. 100% of the proceeds from this event, which raised over $56,000, will go to two of our member organizations, J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center and Mustard Seed Ranch.

You can still help us turn dreams into reality today! Learn More

Giving Gifts of Love and Happiness

When buses arrived at South Coast Plaza retail center after business hours on December 10th, 350 homeless and motel children from around Orange County, CA stepped out to join a gathering of happiness, charity and holiday cheer.

A collaborative effort hosted by Festival of Children Foundation, South Coast Plaza, YPO Southern California Chapter and The Happiness Project, “Gifts of Love” gave children a chance to be a VIP this holiday season. As each child departed the bus they were matched with a volunteer helped them navigate the various activities. From visits with Santa to unlimited rides on the reindeer carousel, to arts and crafts and delicious food provided by Wahoo’s Fish Taco and Z Pizza, the children were given the Christmas they truly deserved. A teen lounge equipped with video games and music was available for the older children, and every child in attendance received a special gift bag tailored to their age group and gender.

“The opportunity to host this event and visit the shelters and motels has opened our children’s eyes to the very real issue of homelessness here in Orange County. Hopefully this holiday experience of giving to others will motivate children and adults alike to continue to make a difference in our community throughout the year,” said Brian Murphy, President of Athletes First and a member of YPO Southern California Chapter. We graciously thank the 200 volunteers who gave of their time, and the dozens of individuals and businesses that came together with donations and financial support to provide a magical evening for children in our own community.

Spreading Holiday Cheer From East to West

What do you get when you send Julius the Monkey on a cross-country tour to spread a little holiday cheer? Milk, cookies, candy canes, and hundreds of books for kids who need them the most! Festival of Children Foundation partnered with Paul Frank Industries this holiday season on a six-stop tour, where patrons got to enjoy holiday treats, as well as a 20% discount in the store with a donation of any new or gently-used book. We then distributed the collected books to our member charities that promote literacy in those six cities:
•Edgewood Center for Children & Families (San Francisco, CA)
•First Book (Las Vegas, NV)
•Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center (Santa Ana, CA)
•Screen Actors Guild Foundation (Los Angeles, CA)
•Children of the City (New York, NY)
•Working in the Schools (Chicago, IL)

The Fundamentals of Grant Proposals: A Seminar

When Festival of Children Foundation brings together executives from 29 different charities in one room to discuss the fundamentals of grant proposals, ideas are developed, friendships are made, and valuable information is shared freely. Fundraising expert Melissa Brown joined us from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University to lead the collaborative discussion as part of our Executive Training Seminar series. She provided valuable information pertaining to the steps of proposal development, including linking project goals to community need, matching projects to funders’ interests, preparing a budget, and writing effectively for proposal review.
Nonprofit executives left feeling energized and empowered to approach the often overwhelming world of grant writing. “I feel confident that what Melissa taught me today will make a ‘leaps and bounds’ difference in my ability to write grant proposals for our organization,” wrote Marie Gentosi of Assistance League Newport-Mesa.
The seminar was provided at no cost to member organizations, thanks to the generous support of The Allergan Foundation.

Connecting Children, Charities and Communities

What a fantastic celebration of childhood we've had this September! Festival of Children is in full swing, with one weekend left to go - and it has been an all-around astounding success. Our participating charities and performers are reaching so many new people, spreading the word about their organizations, and recruiting new donors and volunteers. We couldn't ask for more!

We hope you'll come visit us if you're in the area for our final weekend, as we close out the month and move on to Season of Caring Presents The Possible Dream, our annual grant-making program.