The 2013 BBQ is Heating Up!

I have had the pleasure of having my niece in Kids Co. this past year. The program was a God send for me as I took on the responsibility of raising her this year as a single working person! The support I have received from the staff of Kids Co. has been second to none!!! Just knowing that my niece is well taken care of between 7am until 9am and 3:30pm to 6pm has allowed me to keep focused on my job! I have also noticed that my niece’s interpersonal skills have blossomed as a result of the Kids Co. program. She has learned a lot about art, drama, sports, thought provoking games and responsibility. Fortunately, I was not in a position where the financial portion of paying for Kids Co. was a problem, but, there was a time in my life where that would have been a challenge. Because of that, I am helping local, cash-strapped families enroll their children in Kids Co. programs so parents can work.

If you’re not familiar with Kids Co., it is a local nonprofit, onsite at 11 public schools in Seattle and on Mercer Island, that care for more than 1,500 children, ages 2 ½ to 12, 52 weeks a year. What makes Kids Co. extraordinary is that not once in its 24 year history has this nonprofit turned away a child from enrolling in its programming for reasons of financial circumstance. When you think about this, it’s incredibly impressive, especially when you realize that we are talking about thousands of children-over 300 alone this year!

Now, you may ask, who are the families that need childcare support? Most are working parents–70% are single moms–who need their kids in safe before-and-after-school care so they can go to work; a handful (4%) are either disabled or students; and, although families from all 11 centers are awarded tuition assistance, 70% go to families in one of Kids Co.’s three Southeast Seattle sites. This neighborhood is the most culturally and economically diverse in the Pacific Northwest.

So join me! My initial ask is $25 but you can give more (or less), set up your own page (like mine right here), or even apply for a Kids Co. scholarship yourself! Be original and help kids attend childcare in your own unique way.

Kind Regards,

– Janet

Janet Munro
206.794.4840
[email protected]