I have volunteered twice with Royal Family KIDS of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Here are a few of the many things that impress me about this organization. 1) It's all volunteer. There is no paid staff. The people who work on behalf of this camp do so because they believe in the value of lifting up children, who through no fault of their own, have landed in unsafe families. 2) It's all about the kids. Everyone who shows up is there for the kids. Every activity planned is planned to create positive experiences and memories for kids who have too few. 3) It's free! Royal Family raises all the funding within the community, so that any kid in Foster care can go to camp without worrying about the cost to their Foster family. 4)Meanwhile their Foster families have a week to catch their breath because being a foster parent is demanding! 5)Kids in Foster care have experienced more than their fair share of trauma. Their daily lives show it. But, if you wandered into camp, you wouldn't know that this group of kids is any different from any other kids at camp, and that's the point! For one week this organization gives these kids a time and space to just be kids having fun at camp - away from the worries and troubles of their day-to-day lives. It's very healing!
Love this organization because of the direct positive impact they have in the lives of children in Utah's foster care. Their mission is clear to make positive experiences in the lives of these children by allowing them to attend camp and mentoring club. At camp and mentoring club these children see God working in their lives in tangible ways. There is no apology that it is a faith based organization where they can experience God's love through the loving actions of caring mentors and volunteers from different church congregations. Two thumbs up from me.
Royal family kids is amazing! I had the opportunity to work with them this past year - it was a birthday celebration that they held for children in foster care. The children that I met were so excited to be celebrated. You could see the joy and happiness in their faces as they interacted with one another and all of the incredible members of Royal Family Kids. It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved.