eConnection
Community Newsletter | June 2019
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Back-to-School Celebration 2019:
YOUR HELP NEEDED!
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It's hard to believe we are already planning for the
2019 back-to-school season
!
Mark your calendars for
Aug. 14, 2019
, for Rainbow Days'
28th annual Back-to-School Celebration
!
Each August through our Back-to-School Celebration, Rainbow Days gives
new backpacks filled with school supplies
and uniforms to more than
700 homeless kids
residing in local shelters, transitional living sites and motels.
The 2019 Back-to-School Celebration, which will be
presented by the MoneyGram Foundation
, will celebrate the spirit of education and
meet the tangible needs of school-aged kids
experiencing homelessness in our community.
We need
YOUR HELP
to make the event a success!
You can
get involved
in one of three ways:
- Make an in-kind donation of new school supplies, uniforms and backpacks!
- Volunteer at the event: Opportunities include helping with carnival games and being kids' event buddies!
- Donate: Your gift of $100 will sponsor a child to enjoy this celebratory mentored event AND receive a NEW backpack, school supplies and school uniform!
Please join us! We hope you will
consider impacting a child’s life
through your gift today.
School supplies
and
uniform donations
are
needed by Aug. 5
. Please contact
Volunteer & Events Manager
Sunni Roaten
with questions about donating or getting involved.
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Volunteers Needed:
Outdoor Adventure Camp
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CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS
! We are in need of more camp volunteers this summer!
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Outdoor Adventure Camp
will be held the first week of August at Camp Hoblitzelle in Midlothian. At this traditional outdoor day camp, children will enjoy zip lining, riding horses, swimming and more! This camp truly gives kids the ultimate,
unforgettable outdoor camp experience
.
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Reminder
: Per Rainbow Days' policy,
all volunteers
must have completed a
Volunteer Application
and
criminal background check
BEFORE volunteering directly with children. If you have questions or need assistance, please
contact Volunteer & Events Manager
Sunni Roaten
.
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Program Highlight:
Leadership Connection
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In early June, our
Community Connection
team was thrilled to host its
annual Leadership Connection camp
!
At this day camp focused on leadership skills and
goal setting
, an excellent group of
30 local middle and high school students
gathered at
Arapaho United Methodist Church
to participate in educational sessions covering
critical topics facing today's youth
, including healthy relationships, drug awareness and social media safety. Campers also enjoyed outdoor cookouts,
team-building exercises
and other fun activities while getting to know and bond with peers and mentors.
Here's to a
great week of fun
,
learning
and
leadership
! Kudos to everyone who made 2019 Leadership Connection a great success!
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Program Highlight:
Kids' University
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During the first and third weeks of June, our
Family Connection
team was thrilled to host the
24th year
of
Kids' University
, an
academic-themed summer day camp for homeless children
held in
partnership with UT Dallas
.
Over two sessions,
314 children
from
27 motels
,
transitional living sites
, and
homeless
and
domestic violence shelters
attended Kids' University. The camp's overarching purpose is to
inspire kids
to stay in school,
pursue higher education
and
consider a multitude of future career paths
and possibilities. Campers attended a spectrum of interactive, educational classes, including: engineering with
Frito-Lay
; physics and geology from the
Perot Museum
; team-building with the
All Stars Project of Dallas
; and
algebra tutoring
led by UT Dallas students. Each week culminated with a
special graduation ceremony
during which the children wore colorful caps and gowns and received diplomas from
Dr. George W. Fair
, UT Dallas Vice President of Diversity and Community Engagement.
We would like to recognize the generosity of the
Moody Foundation
,
Lowe Foundation
and
Simmons Bank
for their financial sponsorship of Kids' University. Additionally, we are grateful for the support of
Mi Cocina - Lennox
, the
Intrinsic Foundation
,
Raising Cane's
,
McDonald's - Arch Fellow
and
Little Caesars
, all of which helped provide meals and snacks for the children throughout the week. Last but not least, we are grateful for our longtime partners,
The University of Texas at Dallas
and
Dr. George W. Fair
, who have been partnering with Rainbow Days for 24 years to make this camp possible.
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Summer Wish List:
Swim Gear & Snacks!
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This summer, YOU, too can help make a difference
in the lives of children in need! Your
in-kind gift
of any of the items below will tremendously help Rainbow Days make our summer programs successful and memorable for the kids we serve.
- "Fun in the Sun" - So that campers may enjoy the refreshing pool at Outdoor Adventure Camp in August, we are looking for donations of towels, goggles, and swimsuits and flip-flops in ALL child, youth and young adult sizes.
- "Snacks Galore" - ALL summer long, we need your help feeding hungry children! We gratefully accept donations of individually wrapped snacks for kids attending our camps and programs. Examples include: granola bars, fruit snacks, popcorn, chips, pretzels, cheese crackers, cookies, Rice Krispies Treats and other similar items.
Please
contact Communications & Development Specialist
Katy Cornwall
with questions.
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