I am the type of person who has a very hard time asking for help. The day that I had to ask for tuition assistance was a humbling day but Nikki Bautista, Kids Co. at John Hay Program Manager, handled the conversation with such grace and compassion that I was floored. She made it easy for me to ask for the help I so desperately needed to keep my children safe and cared for. If it were not for the Kids Co. Scholarship Fund my children would not be in this program.

Nikki and her staff have been there for my children when they felt alone, tired, happy etc. They are engaged and treat my children with respect. I think, however, the biggest testimonial to how important Kids Co. is to my family is the fact that my girls ask me to pick them up from Kids Co. close to closing time (6 p.m.) so they can participate in all of the Kids Co. activities and spend time with their friends.

Thank you so much. Your contribution to the Virtual BBQ allows my girls, as well as many other children, to be Kids Co. kids.

Sincerely,
Aiko

I want to thank everyone who has donated to the 2013 Kids Co. Virtual BBQ in support of the Kids Co. Scholarship Fund.

Sincerely,
Clair

Saniya is a great kid who thrives at Kids Co. at John Hay. We look forward to her bright smile and eager attitude every day. Without tuition assistance, this youngster would not be able to be part of our community.

Thanks to the many BBQ donors, kids like Saniya can be Kids Co. kids.

Best,
Nikki
Kids Co. at John Hay Program Manager

As for my daughter Harriet (and her brother), she loves Kids Co. and makes new friends, with both the staff and other kids, every day. She’s a rambunctious little squirt that relishes games, music, dance, and a good story. Kids Co. gives her all of these things plus much more. I know my kids are well taken care of while I go to work.

Thank you Kids Co. and to every Virtual BBQ Donor! You make a huge difference to my little tribe’s livelihood.

Warmest of regards,

Amanda

I tried to save money on childcare two separate times with disastrous results. One school year, I sent my two older kids to a local community center. EVERY single day, without fail, they would call me at work and beg me to pick them up early! I knew this was not the place for my kids. Then in the spring of 2013 I was laid off from my job. I pulled my kids out of Kids Co. while I looked for work. I found a temp job and decided as a money-saving effort to put my boys in a much cheaper summer program. On the first day, there was a fight right in front of my boys. They were so traumatized they asked me not to make them go back.

Childcare, high QUALITY childcare like that at Kids Co. at South Shore, is so important to my peace of mind as I head to work each day. I know my kids are in a good place, because they don’t want to go home at the end of the day!

I trust the Kids Co. staff because I know that they are loving, firm, fair, and a lot of fun. My boys love to go to Kids Co. and I know they are in a safe environment where they are continually learning skills and physically active.

No parent wants to sacrifice quality care for their children, but that is what I would be forced to do if it were not for the generosity of those who give to the Kids Co. Scholarship Fund!

With every ounce of my appreciation,

Dena

This fall my son will be entering first grade, which will ease my finances because we won’t be paying kindergarten school-fees; I’ll only need to afford out-of-school-time care. So it’s my turn to start paying it forward! I am eager to finally be able to contribute a little extra to Kids Co. each month for other families in need.

To top this off, my son has thrived at Kids Co.! He’s been able to participate in enrichment activities and try lots of new things; he’s been embraced for the energetic, inquisitive, sometimes challenging boy he is. The teachers have been patient and loving with him and he’s grown tremendously in their care. I couldn’t feel luckier or more grateful.

I really don’t know what I would have done if Kids Co. hadn’t offered me a scholarship. From the bottom of my heart, I thank them and every BBQ donor for making childcare a reality for my son.

Best,
Margaret

Miss Monica, Kids Co. at Adams’ Program Manager, made me aware of the Kids Co. Scholarship Fund as a means to afford childcare while I look for work. Just a few days after applying, I was notified that our scholarship had been approved, which allowed my son to finish out his Pre-K school year. My son flourished with the routine and consistency that Kids Co. at Adams provided. He is now WELL prepared for Kindergarten this fall, which he will attend with several of his Kids Co. friends.

Over the summer I was still seeking employment and was concerned about continued childcare. I needed the availability to attend job interviews, seminars, etc. I again applied for a scholarship for my son to attend Kids Co.’s summer day camp. I truly didn’t anticipate being approved for the summer program, because most tuition assistance programs require the parent to have a job, which I do not. What a wonderful surprise to learn that Kids Co. understands the necessity of childcare for those in the job market. My summer-time scholarship was not only approved, it was approved for full-time!

Kids Co. has been such a blessing to us!! I am so thankful that my son doesn’t have to miss out on being with his Kids Co. family because of my unfortunate life circumstances. I am so happy to have found a program that truly cares about children and their families. I am forever grateful that through the generosity of others my son is able to continue his routine.

Thank you for supporting the Kids Co. Scholarship Fund by giving to the Virtual BBQ.

Krista

Meet Jenny and her son Diego. Their small family was struck with sadness and grief when Diego was only 14 months old. Les, his father, passed away after a long battle with leukemia. One would hope that their heartache would end there, but it did not. A family member’s illness ended the care Jenny had arranged for Diego — this service had given Jenny the freedom to go to work and support Diego.

Funds were very tight and childcare for a two year old costly. Jenny turned to DSHS and the City of Seattle for help, but barely making ends meet did not qualify her for assistance. She was alone, mourning the loss of her life mate, raising a son by herself, and to top it off, was cash strapped. She learned of Kids Co.’s Scholarship Fund, asked for our help, and the rest was history. Diego was awarded a preschool scholarship. “Kids Co. saved us,” Jenny will tell you without hesitation. “I wanted Diego to have structure, which can be difficult for a single mom to provide, especially one in grief.” For a little boy and mom who have lost so much, Kids Co.’s scholarship marks the turn of a new chapter.

On behalf of Diego, Jenny, and all of the families who we serve, thank you for donating to the Kids Co. Scholarship Fund.

At Kids Co. at John Muir we have Gears Go Round, a huge biking bonanza where the kids get on wheels of all kinds–bikes, scooters, and roller blades–and peddle and push at full throttle. We create our own Olympic-style “wheel” races such as passing the baton, time trials, and following a chalk line (think of the Figure 8 competition in ice skating) to bolster agility and balancing skills. Kimilo is a Gears Go Round specialist and he’s got some kind of game. He uses the Olympic games, and every other “wheel” time, to hone his biking skills on all sorts of bikes, as a matter of fact, on all the bikes!

It’s part of Kids Co. at John Muir’s culture to teach kids how to share. So, all bikes are shared and turns are taken. This helps kids like Kimilo develop strong social engagement skills including self-empowerment, dispute resolution, participatory evaluation, and trust. The outcome of Gears Go Round, as well as our other bike adventures, is obvious–physical fitness–plus something less apparent but just as important: healthy social engagement!

On behalf of Kimilo, and all of the children who get to ride a bike because of your contribution, thank you.

Meet Azariha, a seven-year-old Kids Co. at John Muir student. He comes from a loving family with a crazy schedule — one that makes it nearly impossible for him to see his mom and dad at the same time. Mom is a full-time student and, until she finishes her studies and finds a job, she has no income. Dad, on the other hand, works full-time as a night shift taxi driver. He leaves the house at 7 p.m. and works through the night. When he gets off work he drives Azariha to before-school care at Kids Co. and then goes home and goes to bed. By this time his wife is at school. The only time the family gets together are the hours between the end of school and when dad hits the road for work — roughly a few hours a day.

It’s tough to support an entire family on a taxi driver’s income but they make it work, partially because of their Kids Co. scholarship. Childcare for Azariha in Kids Co. at John Muir not only lets mom and dad get on with their day, it does not put an added financial burden on the family. The saving helps bridge the gap to pay bills; buy food; and make sure mom can go to school, and in the near future secure a job so the family has a double income.

On behalf of Azariha, his family, and all of the families who we serve, thank you for participating in the Kids Co. Virtual BBQ. Your support makes it possible for kids like him to attend our program.

Warm regards,
Tim
Kids Co. at John Muir Program Manager