Today marks the beginning of the Third Annual Kids’ Chance Awareness Week, where the workers’ compensation industry gets to pull out all the stops to make everyone aware of this terrific organization. Awareness Week will run through November 16th, and if all goes well you will receive numerous reminders from varied sources that the program exists.
The pages of this blog will be dedicated to the cause all week long.
Kids’ Chance is a non-profit organization that provides scholarships and educational opportunities for kids who have a parent who was seriously injured or killed on the job. Now in 43 states, they have issued almost 7,000 scholarships totaling over $20,000,000. I am proud to have been a long-time supporter of Kids’ Chance, having served on a National Advisory Board for Kids’ Chance of America for almost 10 years. I am currently co-chair of the KCOA Council of States, and am a Founding Board Member and president of Kids’ Chance of Florida. I can honestly tell you that this has been some of the most rewarding work of my lifetime. Volunteers know that the benefits we gain from participating far outweigh the effort required in doing so.
For Awareness Week there will be a wide variety of events around the nation, ranging from fund raisers to Governor Proclamations. You will also see strong national reminders for the week on this website. Here in Florida, we were proud to announce this morning as part of Awareness Week a new Scholarship Partnership with One Call. Already a national partner of KCOA, they have announced they will be fully funding a four-year scholarship for a student here in Florida where they are based. Funded by company and employee donations, they hope to build to a point where they have four kids in the program every year. Fully funded it will be an annual commitment of over $25,000. Elsewhere in the state, Boca Raton based NCCI, also a national partner and strong KCFL supporter, will be holding several events to bring attention to the cause.
NCCI is recognizing Kids’ Chance Awareness week by holding a lunchtime live Skype chat between NCCI President and CEO, Bill Donnell, and Kids’ Chance of America President, Kevin Turner, on Monday, November 12. Their employees will be in the audience and will learn more about how the Kids’ Chance organization celebrates the week and what NCCI’s support means to the organization. They are also promoting the mission of Kids’ Chance to their employees through table tent cards in common areas that share the stories of Kids’ Chance scholarship recipients. They are encouraging employees to donate to Kids’ Chance and are engaging in a dedicated social media push as well.
As far as the pages of this blog go, over the next few days you will be given the opportunity to “meet the kids” that have been helped by Kids’ Chance. We wanted to put some faces and stories to this effort, reminding people that it is just not a “cause” or a “fundraiser.” It is a real effort to help people who have overcome tragedy in their lives in order to build a better future for themselves. They are the faces of Kids’ Chance, and I am proud to be able to introduce just a few to you.
To learn more about Kids’ Chance, you may visit their website at https://www.kidschance.org.
Of course, should you be so moved, you may also donate to Kids’ Chance of Florida at https://www.KidsChanceFL.org.
Now, without further ado, here are today’s Faces of Kids’ Chance:
Devan A.
Receiving the Kids’ Chance scholarship has made a world of difference to me. I am able to attend the local community college as a full time student. If I did not receive the financial assistance from Kids’ Chance, I would have probably second guessed whether I could pursue a college degree.
I am pursuing my degree in criminal justice. I attend general education courses; however, my area of study and interest is in law enforcement. I am working on starting up a criminal justice club as the college does not currently have one. I also actively visit the job board in hopes to obtain a community service officer position at the college and protect and serve my campus.
The best experience I have had at the College of Lake County had to be in my first criminal justice class I attended while I was enrolled in the tech campus. The class was Introduction to Policing. I had excellent teachers that I instantly connected with, captivated my interest and solidified my decision to pursue my current path. I was named the criminal justice student of the year for my classroom contribution.
After receiving my Associated Degree, I plan on transferring to North Eastern University in Chicago Illinois. Once I receive my Bachelor’s Degree, I will begin the task of applying to local law enforcement agencies, in hopes to obtain a position as a police officer and serve and protect a community.
Thank you,
Devan A.
College of Lake County
Kids’ Chance of Illinois Scholarship Recipient
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Ebeny B.
Thank you so much Mrs. Angie and every person who has given donations, helped with fundraisers, or participated in any way. I thank you all for your generosity, not just this time but for the past 3 years. This is my last year in college, and with the help of you all, so much burden has been lifted off my parent’s back. Words cannot express how thankful my parents and I are to have your support.
Ebeny B.
Fall Scholarship Recipient
Kids’ Chance of South Carolina