Wonder: A "first" for kids in foster care

Thanks to tennis celebrity Christina Fusano’s support and the support of you, our compassionate donors, we have raised $4,390 to date, which has allowed Wonder to:

• Provide 9 children with experiences in art, sports, music, and nature

One match attended the Sacramento Kings basketball game and said:

“This was a hit! There was lots of hugging and greeting among the kids…meeting Jason Thompson was a thrill for ‘Beth’ and all the Explorers! Thanks for arranging this event.”

• Provide 23 children with a sit-down restaurant experience for the first time One guide (mentor) wrote about their outing to the Cheesecake Factory:

“’Amber’ was so reluctant to try anything aside from a cheeseburger or chicken fingers, but I finally convinced her that it was about new experiences. She tried salad (vegetables are torture), ate every bit of the pasta dish I ordered (which had peas in it!), and exclaimed it was the best meal she’d ever had.”

• Sponsor meaningful outings (chosen by Guides and Explorers) for 4 of our current mentoring matches

• Provide a backpack (full of goodies!) for 5 children as they begin their journey and are matched with a mentor

One Guide (mentor) wrote about her first visit with her Explorer (mentee):

“She didn’t know we were coming and when she found out why we were there she got very excited. She couldn’t believe that she gets to participate in this opportunity…She’s ready to go! She was then very surprised when I gave her the backpack. She couldn’t believe all of that was for her too. She was very thankful and excited.”

•Sponsor 2 children to attend Camp Wonder 2010

•Sponsor 2 mentoring matches who are looking forward to experiencing Camp Wonder 2010

After Camp Wonder 2009, one Guide (mentor) wrote:

“When I picked ‘Tommy’ up for camp, I asked him if he was ready for this. He said, ‘I have been ready my whole life!’ He then asked if we were going to have s’mores because he hadn’t ever had them but knew they would be good because he has seen them on TV.”

The Journey Program of Wonder has raised $2,508 to help support our current matches and extend our outreach to recruit more volunteers to be mentors to children in foster care.

One Guide (mentor) received a card from her Explorer (mentee) saying:

“Thank you for being nice, loving, caring, and thankful. You are the best friend ever that I had in my life. -#1BFF”

We are so thrilled and appreciative of the support we have received and thank you very much for being part of our success. We look forward to expanding our efforts to match children in foster care with compassionate adult mentors and to providing both Guides and Explorers with rewarding experiences in the greater Sacramento region.

Wonder recently matched 12 new Guides and Explorers who have just started their journeys together! Now that they are off and running, we are preparing for a new class of volunteers and will be in the process of recruiting, training, and matching them in May and June. We anticipate 15 to 20 new matches this summer and could use your help in raising money for backpacks for the children.

Can you imagine the joy on a child’s face upon receiving a brand new backpack filled with a journal, calendar, markers, a Wonder t-shirt, and other exciting items that they’ve never had before?

Help us provide this experience to more children in foster care, as they match with a caring adult mentor. Please support our cause by either donating or passing along this information to your family or friends and encouraging them to give.

Links:

• "Some Kind of Wonderful"