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JAINA CONVENTION 2011
"Live and Help Live"
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KIDS WHO CARE FOUNDATION
Risha Shukla Risha, 14, a current member of the Jain Center of Southern California Pathshala, founded the Kids Who Care Foundation (KWCF) at age 7 with the help of her parents to cheer up and support other children with chronic medical conditions. She has received numerous accolades for her outstanding acts of volunteerism including a US President's Volunteer Service Award. The foundation is an excellent example of kids helping live kids with medical conditions and learning to be caring and compassionate towards the less fortunate. KWCF brings smiles to children in hospitals globally. Recent projects were for Babies in Japan and Children in India. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. Contact Risha: kidswhocareclub@yahoo.com
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PROJECT JAPAN: KWCF DONATES NECESSITIES FOR BABIES IN JAPAN KWCF joined the Japan Relief Effort by doing their little part to help the people of Japan and bringing smiles to babies and their families. KWCF mobilized their family of volunteers to collect essential items needed to care for babies who are survivors of the concurrent disasters in Japan.
INTRODUCTION Kids Who Care Foundation (KWCF), a 501c3 tax deductible non-profit foundation, brings smiles to catastrophically ill children who are hospitalized throughout the United States and around the world by delivering free Smile Packs and Card Quilts to these children, entertaining children with medical conditions and providing support to children with pancreatitis, a rare and painful disease for which there is no cure. Kids Who Care's mission is to brighten the days at the hospital for kids that are having major surgeries. When a natural disaster occurs somewhere in the world, the Kids Who Care's family of volunteers steps up to donate their time and energy to help the survivors. The Japan Relief Effort is just one example of kids helping kids. Last year, the Kids Who Care volunteers collected and packed hundreds of backpacks for the children in Haiti who were affected by a devastating earthquake. Kids Who Care Foundation is made up of 100% volunteers who work very hard to bring smiles to the ones that need it the most! KWCF's two recent projects include the following.
Canyon View Elementary students loading boxes filled with collected baby items in the truck in Irvine, CA
Rhea, KWCF Ambassador, working with volunteers on making cheer up cards for hospitalized children
Approximately thirty volunteers ranging from 5 year olds to seniors gathered at one of the collection stations (Mercedes-Benz of Foothill Ranch) and organized all of the items donated by the Orange County community. The volunteers were overwhelmed at the generosity of the community upon arrival at the collection station. There were bags and boxes filled with necessities to care for babies (diaper bags, baby wipes, formulas, toys, baby bottles, blankets, baby clothes, ponchos, socks, toiletries, vitamins), as well as handmade crocheted hats, afghans and slippers for adults. The volunteers quickly got to work and sorted all the donated items from several schools, businesses and packed dozens of boxes. There were also 200 diaper bags
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