Category: Donations

The Launch of The Lunchbox Movement: Filling Bellies AND Hearts

twhimsLeave a comment

“Wealth is not to feed our egos,
 But to feed the hungry and to help people help themselves.”
-Andrew Carnegie

The Launch of The Lunchbox Movement: Filling Bellies AND HeartsThis summer 2018, The Lunchbox Movement launched, delivering lunchboxes filled with love to the children participating in Team Walker in Jersey City (Team Walker is a summer camp whose mission is to “improve the quality of life for the children of Jersey City”).

Across the country, about 30 million children receive free or reduced lunch every school day through the National School Lunch Program. Unfortunately, during summer vacation, many go without lunch—including while attending summer camp.

The Launch of The Lunchbox Movement: Filling Bellies AND HeartsWhen the children of Wear the Cape and kidkind foundation Founder Leigh Ann Errico learned of hungry bellies at Team Walker’s camp, they immediately stepped up and created The Lunchbox Movement to help. The partnership with Team Walker was made possible by Board Member Dianne Jacobs.

The Launch of The Lunchbox Movement: Filling Bellies AND HeartsThe Errico children, with assistance from their mom and volunteers, called local stores to request food and monetary donations in order to create and fill reusable lunchboxes—donated by kidkind foundation—with a nutritious lunch and snacks. These lunchboxes not only fed the bellies of Team Walker campers, but also their hearts; the Errico children wrote the reminder that “It’s cool to be kind” by hand and placed them in every child’s lunchbox.

The Launch of The Lunchbox Movement: Filling Bellies AND HeartsFilling the lunchboxes was a group effort. The Errico children, along with other Cape Kids, spent countless hours of their summer vacation packing the lunchboxes, all while giggling, singing, dancing, and having a blast. “It’s fun to help others!” exclaimed Charlotte Errico, age 8 and a rising third grader.

Thanks to the many donations from local merchants (see donor list below),The Lunchbox Movement was able to fill lunchboxes with bagels, granola bars, waters, juice boxes, fruit snacks, apples, bananas, and cookies.  There was such a bounty generously provided by our donor partners that kidkind foundation was able to pack extra foods, so that the campers of Team Walker would have snacks to nourish them in the afternoon, as well as to take home and eat when hungry.

The Launch of The Lunchbox Movement: Filling Bellies AND HeartsAlong  with delicious lunches, kidkind foundation donated our children’s book,  It’s Good To Be Kind,  written by Lauren DuBois Rosemond, a story about sharing kindness in a special way.  Click Here to purchase a copy.

We are incredibly grateful to all who donated to The Lunchbox Movement:

  • Burger King (Gillette, NJ): Juice boxes
  • Kings (Gillette, NJ): $50 gift card
  • Costco (Bridgewater, NJ): $25 gift card
  • Shoprite (Stirling, NJ): $25 gift card
  • Costco (East Hanover, NJ): $25 gift card
  • BJs (Linden, NJ): $25 gift card
  • Acme (Warren, NJ): Napkins, water bottles, granola bars, fruit snacks, juice boxes
  • Stop and Shop (Watchung, NJ): Bagels, butter, resealable plastic bags, cookies, apples, bananas

The Launch of The Lunchbox Movement: Filling Bellies AND Hearts“It is heartwarming and meaningful to see children focused on giving and serving others in need,” stated Leigh Ann Errico, Founder and CEO of Wear the Cape and the kidkind foundation.“Summer is about fun and making memories for many, but we need to help our children understand that not all people are so fortunate to enjoy the season, carefree. It’s our job to show kids how to see beyond their own realities and step away from their worlds in order to tap into having compassion for others.”

The kidkind foundation is humbled and grateful for the community support that made the first undertaking of The Lunchbox Movement possible. We look forward to continuing and expanding these valued partnerships in the future!

Please email leighann@wearthcapekids.com to donate or to nominate an organization that is in need of help from The Lunchbox Movement.

 

 

 

 

A Night Filled with Heroes and Hope

Lauren DuBoisLeave a comment

Thanks to a gathering of heroes changing the world with kindness, tonight was filled with hope – the hope that one day our children will live in a world where bullying has no place. A hope that kindness, courage and respect will prevail. Over 100 heroes, both women and children, came together at kidkind foundation’s 5th annual holiday event, held in Warren, New Jersey, to continue the mission of restoring the power of kindness and heroic character.

The organization’s Founder Leigh Ann Errico thanked kidkind foundation’s supporters for helping to spread kindness and goodwill to all. Guests came laden with donations for our troops overseas, as well as gifts for orphaned children in Trenton.

Ms. Errico shared the good works and accomplishments of kidkind foundation throughout the past year, including the creation of a children’s picture book titled IT’S GOOD TO BE KINGD, by Lauren DuBois Rosemond. In addition to making the book widely available for purchase, kidkind foundation has donated IT’S GOOD TO BE KINGD, which teaches kids to STOP and THINK whether their choices will HELP or HURT, to Kindergarten classrooms in Bound Brook, Patterson, Trenton, and Camden, as part of its “1000 Books” donation pledge to underprivileged schools throughout the nation.

Ms. Errico also praised those who donated books in the name of kidkind foundation. Special mention was made of Ms. Vas Nair, who donated 20 copies of IT’S GOOD TO BE KINGD to The Newark Public Schools. IT’S GOOD TO BE KINGD can be purchased on Amazon.com or Wear the Cape’s website, where copies can also be donated.

Another infusion of hope, Ms. Errico revealed that kidkind foundation will spend 2018 creating a Hero Assembly for middle school students. This program comes on the heels of great success with the elementary level Hero Assembly that has already been presented to students in Bridgewater, East Brunswick, Fort Lee, Madison, Scotch Plains, Hazlet, and Garfield, most recently during the Week of Respect and Anti-Bullying Month 2017.

The night was even more magical thanks to kindness fortune-tellers who provided both young and old with Kindness Fortunes, which encouraged ways that guests could continue to be heroic in the future. Such fortunes included several taglines from Wear the Cape, including you’re “Better Than That™” – better than bullying – and “It’s Cool to Be Kind.”

Another highlight of the evening, as always, was the traditional cookie swap. Ladies brought three dozen cookies and left with an assortment of dozens more. Every cookie, made with love, is another message of hope – and how sweet it is!

For more information on how to donate to the kidkind foundation, bring a Hero Assembly to a school near you, and purchase or donate IT’S GOOD TO BE KINGD for a child in your life or for kids in need, please email leighann@wearthecapekids.com.

Stay strong in the mission, heroes! Thank you for changing the world, one person’s world at a time. ❤

Wear the Cape’s NEW Children’s Book is HERE!

twhimsLeave a comment

It's Good To Be KindOn the heels of the success of Wear the Cape’s Hero Assembly, which our team presented in over 30 schools since its launch in 2016, we are ready to release another powerful kindness tool for young children:

INTRODUCING…

IT’S GOOD TO BE KINGD, Wear the Cape’s new children’s picture book!

It's Good To Be KindBrought to life with hand-painted illustrations, the children’s book shares the story of Leonard the Lion—admired by all other animals as King of the Jungle—who wears a red cape and uses his power and status to make a positive impact on those around him. Sprinkled with magic and mystery, the fun, colorful book is perfect for a young child’s summer reading list.

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE | DONATE A COPY HERE

It's Good To Be KindIt's Good To Be KindAlso taught in Wear the Cape’s assembly program for elementary schools, IT’S GOOD TO BE KINGD incorporates mnemonic devices that remind kids to STOP and THINK whether their choices will HELP or HURT. Both the book and assembly are designed to assist kids with making connections, practicing skills and learning strategies needed to be a positive force in their communities and be BETTER THAN THAT™ – better than bad choices including bullying.

Wear the Cape’s kidkind Foundation will be donating 1,000 books to kindergarten classrooms in underprivileged schools throughout our nation. To meet Lenny and follow his journey with It's Good To Be Kindyour family as he learns that it’s better to be a hero than a bully, click here to purchase a copy of our book and/or click here to donate books to children in need.

Wear the Cape has made an impact far and wide with its mission to restore the power of kindness and heroic character…let’s keep spreading the “cool-to-be-kind” message!