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My daughter's first experience with Rainbow Rumpus was at Pride last year when she made a dragon puppet. I signed our names to the mailing list and then on her birthday we received an email to check out their website for a birthday message. She was so excited to see her name on the Rainbow Rumpus website and intrigued as we read the birthday messages to other kids around the country. Since then we periodically check out the website to read the stories, look at pictures, read the comics, and talk about what it means to have gay parents. Rainbow Rumpus has helped expose her to multitudes of stories about kids with LGBT parents and it's helped us with examples of how to educate her in defending herself to ignorant comments and how to be proud of who she is. We are incredibly greatful for Rainbow Rumpus!

In over 90% of American counties, children are growing up with two moms or two dads. Many of these children may never hear a story about a family like theirs in child care or school--stories about children with two moms or two dads, or other parents who identify as gay, lesbian, bi, or trans, are simply not being published. For children who don't have a strong community of similar families in their area, this can be devastating. Rainbow Rumpus publishes professional children's stories, illustrations, comics, and other media that reflect the lives of these children, and makes this media available free to children and their families, neighbors, and teachers, in monthly online issues. We receive email, letters, and comments every month from children around the country (and even around the world) telling us how important this work is to them. The MN Council on Nonprofits awarded us their Dot Org award for our work, too. Every child deserves to read stories about families like their own. Every child needs to read stories about families that are different from theirs, too. Rainbow Rumpus makes this possible. I have volunteered for Rainbow Rumpus for three and a half years. I come back because I know how important the work is, and because the community in the organization is so strong. A core group of over 30 volunteers put the issue together every month; their enthusiasm and dedication are palpable. I learn from them all the time.

Rainbow Rumpus fills a hole in the lives of children of BGLQT families. It addresses difficult issues tactfully and age-appropriately, and is multicultural and often funny! It also provides an online community for elementary-aged youth, teens, and their parents.

Rainbow Rumpus is the mirror that reflects the lives of children of LGBT families. I have been volunteering for Rainbow Rumpus for three years now, and what keeps me coming back month after month to work on each new issue is above all the heart-felt thanks we get from kids and young adults for producing media that reflects their lives. The magazine also has a simply amazing group of managers, volunteers and board members. Not only is the organization a unique and vital resource for our target audience, it's also a useful tool for straight parents who want to teach their children about diversity. Whether it's talking to your kids about what transgender means, or simply showing them that other families have two dads or two moms, Rainbow Rumpus has stories that illustrate and validate a myriad of life styles that very rarely are addressed in traditional media. As an ally who hopes someday to have children of her own, I look forward to reading these great stories to my kids.

Rainbow Rumpus is a unique online website with original stories, cartoon, and ability to create a community for youth with LGBT families. It's a resource for parents and teachers, building understanding through creativity.