Caring Community Kids exists as an integral part of the Caring Community Foundation and was initiated in October 2004 to raise awareness in children of the need to help others in the community, particularly children and families who are dealing with cancer, and to raise awareness in the community about the work of this Foundation.
The Caring Community Kids Giving Heart Project:What do we do?
We help kids to help other kids:
- Kids draw art squares on fabric
- Fabric art squares are made into quilts
- Quilts are given to kids dealing with cancer
It's a simple, yet powerful way to express their compassion for others through art. Through these actions we are providing support and giving heart to these children and their families during a difficult time.
If you would like to help with the Caring Community Kids Giving Heart Project, please email Elaine Paul.
Kids Can Help!
Older kids looking for service hours or a special project, like a Girl Scout Silver or Gold Award, can have an opportunity to take a leadership role in helping kids create art squares that will be made into quilts. This may be a large project, such as helping to organize supplies and volunteers at an event where several hundred children may be participating and making art squares for many quilts, or it may be a smaller event organizing a group of kids to make art squares for a single quilt. Younger kids can help too, either by creating artwork themselves, or by helping others to create fabric art squares.
Our next volunteer opportunities are highlighted in the Newsletter. Please check out our "Quilt Stories" and then help us make some more! email Elaine Paul.
Quilt Stories
Brice's Quilt
The very first quilt was made for a bright young boy, Brice, who was diagnosed with a brain stem tumor at the age of ten. 
After becoming aware of Brice's battle with cancer, volunteers from the Caring Community Foundation solicited artwork from Brice's school classmates. The quilt that resulted allowed his friends to show their love and support for Brice during a very difficult time. Although Brice lost his young life to cancer, his family still treasures the quilt, generated by the love of his friends and the compassion of Foundation volunteers. Brice inspired us as we worked to implement the Caring Community Kids initiative, and his memory will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Each year at our annual fundraising event, we honor Brice's memory by displaying the work of Caring Community Kids in "Brice's Corner."
The Healing Garden
Girl Scouts Kristin, Kit, and Courtney worked towards their Girl Scout Silver Award. 
They began by planning their project and preparing the materials needed. They coordinated groups of kids, including a Brownie troop, a Cub Scouts group, and a Sunday school group to make art squares. They made a quilt "The Healing Garden" with the Brownie Troop art and gave the quilt to a 9 year old girl who had been in the Brownie Troop and who had leukemia.
"Trucks and Tractors" and "Under Construction" Quilts
These two quilts were given to a five year old boy diagnosed with leukemia and his brother. A neighbor who delivered the quilts provided the following feedback: 
"Thank you for all of the hard work and for the whole idea of making the quilts for cancer patients! The two construction quilts were a very big hit with both boys and their parents. He took his quilt into the play room, periodically emerging to get more and more cars, trucks and planes to play with on the Matchbox map on the back of the quilt. The whole quilt was full of vehicles and he and his brother were having a grand time." The parents were very touched by the gesture, thought it was great how the Caring Community Foundation came together, and really appreciated that other kids had contributed the art work. They loved the colors and felt the theme was perfect for their kids.
Quilters Needed!
Can you sew or quilt? Please join us in this very rewarding project and help to make a new Quilt Story! please email Elaine Paul.
About our Quilts:
- Quilts are approx. 40" x 60" in size ("crib size")
- Artwork squares should be heat set with dry iron and trimmed (to either 10½" by 10½" or 6½" by 6½") before quilting
- Low loft batting is used
- The quilt is not washed until the entire quilt is completed
- Quilts are all given a unique name
- Quilts are labeled, the label records the name of the quilt and recognizes the artists (first name and age), the sponsor (person or organization donating materials to make the quilt), and the quilter and records the month and year the quilt is completed.
