Kind to Kids Foundation hosts holiday celebration for 100 foster children
For many children in foster care, the holidays can be a painful reminder of uncertainty and loss. Kind to Kids Foundation worked to bring joy, stability and celebration to these children through its annual Foster Family Holiday Party held Dec. 6 in Dover.
More than 120 foster children and their families from across Delaware gathered to enjoy a special holiday meal, activities, family photos, and, most importantly, a chance for each child to choose brand-new toys and books of their very own.
One moment from this year’s celebration shows why the event matters. A little boy stands quietly at the toy table, his foster mom by his side. He picks up a stuffed dinosaur, hugs it once, then looks up and whispers, “Can I really keep this?” She nods. He smiles – a full, unguarded smile – and for a moment the chaos of the past few months gives way to something steadier. He feels wanted, welcomed and safe.
“That is why we do this,” said Caroline Jones, Kind to Kids founder and president. “These children have been through so much. When they walk into a room filled with toys and know the gifts are just for them, you can see their eyes light up and their confidence lift. In that moment, they know they matter.”
Children were able to choose up to two toys and two books each, made possible through the generosity of Kind to Kids, Bay to Beach Builders and other community partners.
“We don’t want any child to go without, especially during the holiday season,” said Deric Parker of Bay to Beach Builders, a longtime event sponsor. “We work together with Kind to Kids to give these children joy for today and hope for tomorrow.”
Kind to Kids serves more than 500 foster children statewide each year through the UGrad Academy Education Program and its Help A Kid initiatives. The organization provides trauma-informed support, tutoring, emotional care and essential resources to help children in foster care succeed in school and in life.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of kindness from our community,” Jones said. “Every donation makes a direct impact on a child who truly needs it.”
