organizing and donating 2500 duffle bags to Foster Children
As part of the ITS4THEKIDS "Pitch Perfect" program, the ITS4THEKIDS Foundation has committed to providing indestructible military grade bags for over 2500 foster children in North Carolina with https://www.saysoinc.org SaySo is a statewide association of youth aged 14 to 24 who are or have been in the out-of-home care system in North Carolina. ITS4THEKIDS Foundation will also fill the bags with books, journals and other essentials for the children. Towels and bedding provided from Sree Hospitality https://www.sree.com/
Christmas Cheer Campaign
2020 was a challenging year for many families and as a result, heading into Christmas this year, the ITS4THEKIDS Foundation created the Christmas Cheer Campaign consisting of several programs over the month of December to get toys in the hands of children
As part of the campaign, the ITS4THEKIDS team purchased over 1000 toys and delivered them personally to the YWCA South Florida and FLITE Center of Broward County.
The ITS4THEKIDS team also asked friends and families and reached across to their communities to let us know of any families with children who could use some Christmas cheer and assistance in purchasing and delivering Christmas presents to the children. The ITS4THEKIDS team carefully selected each gift based on children's interests and passions and delivered hundreds of presents prior to Christmas so families could have them in time to be under the tree.
BRIDGE THE GAP with Miami police Departments and local commu
Bridging the Gap with the North Miami Beach Police Department
Focused on bridging the gap between communities and local police, the ITS4THEKIDS Foundation sponsored and assisted in delivering hundreds of toys to the North Miami Beach Police Department, which were then given out personally by police officers to children in the Miami community for Christmas.
1000 Meals for Families
Partnership with the Miami Dolphins Foundation
On October 11, 2010, the ITS4THEKIDS Foundation and the Miami Dolphins Foundation teamed up to distribute the 1000 meals sources from local restaurants to those in need across Miami.
A passionate team of volunteers from Its4TheKids joined together to provide the meals across various communities as well as provide books to children.
To learn more about the day and the , please see an interview with Ricky Patel on Channel 7 Miami News here!
October trip to the Gracious Hands orphanage in haiti
In October 2020, a passionate team of both newcomers and previous visitors, spent several days in Haiti at the Gracious Hands Orphanage to assist the 39 children with new supplies for the first visit in over 10 months due to Covid-19.
This visit was focused on provided much needed resources for the children including medicine, food, bedding and toys.
Click here to learn more about ITS4THEKIDS Foundation's efforts with Gracious Hands.
live like briana
Briana Vega
Briana Vega changed the lives of so many, including Ricky Patel. She was and will always be seen as an angel who gave so much and took so little. A story that is often told by Ricky includes a visit to the children's hospital in 2013. Briana walked up to Ricky without knowing him and offered to place a bandaid on his finger. Ricky smiled and asked what the reason for the bandaid was, Briana smiled back and said "Children are afraid of being in the hospital, so I am trying to make it a little fun for them by placing cartoon (Minion) bandaids on everyones fingers". This one small act of kindness has created awareness shared by thousands of people over the years. We will always remember her courage and passion to help others. #LIVELIKEBRIANA
Briana Vega at the 2013 Fashion Gives Back event.
Hopeful Hearts Project
The heart symbol has long been recognized across cultures as a symbol of joy, compassion, charity, and love. In addition to all of those, the heart for ITS4THEKIDS represents strength. We often times take for granted that our heart beats 4,500 times an hour and 108,000 times in one whole day. The heart is the epitome of strength.
The Hopeful Hearts Project was created as a way to remind each child who has a diagnosis of cancer and those who are having an extensive stay at the Nicholas Children’s Hospital, that they are not alone; that there is strength within their connection to others.
These beautiful hearts are made from Rose Quartz which is a crystal of unconditional love. It carries an energy of deep inner healing, compassion, peace, self-love, and comfort. Our hope is when these children and families hold this beautiful smooth stone, they will remember they are supported, loved, and thought of often.
And as the famous poet Henry Thoreau said, "there is no remedy for love, but to love more." It is from our hearts to theirs that each child remember and know the courage, unmeasurable love, and strength that is within each of them.
GRACIOUS HANDS ORPHANAGE
ITS4THEKIDS Foundation has helped to establish the Gracious Hands Orphanage in Gressier, Haiti. After severe destruction from Hurricane Matthew throughout all of Haiti in 2016, many children were left without their families and homes. By sending people to help directly on the ground, our Foundation was able to set up and fully staff the Orphanage to house 42 boys and girls aged 5 to 13 years old in an area outside of Port-au-Prince. Along with food, water, and shelter, The Ricky Patel Foundation provides leadership and skill development programs.
The Foundation organizes and assists in coordinating volunteers from the United States and Canada to Gressier, Haiti. Our Foundation gets to know the children and to inspire each other through daily activities and learning. We are committed to building an adoption network with the Gracious Hands Orphanage so that every child is offered the chance to grow up in a loving home.
Learn More
If you are interested in learning more about Gracious Hands Orphanage, please click the link below.
CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIMS
We must end this atrocity!
Most children who fall victim to prostitution today come from environments where they have already been sexually abused. To be sure, the majority of children in America who are exploited sexually have already endured a life of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse. Indeed, the contributor to a child entering into a life of child sex trafficking is a prior life of sexual abuse. Along with this, many of these children who have already been exposed to sexual abuse have problems with low self-esteem, and do not receive the educational opportunities they deserve. For some teens who have suffered abuse from the hands of family members, they may seek escape by running away from home. As a result, they are more likely to end up homeless, and may choose a life style of prostitution in order to “make ends meet,” financially, so to speak. These youth are more inclined to be placed into foster homes or group homes, and are also more likely to run away. Pimps also attract children by targeting them in group homes, promising them gifts, a sense of belonging, and a place where they will be loved, as well as encouraging them with presents and gifts, all while grooming them for a life of prostitution.
The danger is real. It is happening across the globe. It is happening across the nation. It is even happening in our cities, neighborhoods, and even in our own homes. Without a doubt, so many of children have experienced situations and terrors that we might not be prepared for, at first. So many children have been exposed to environments and horrors that are beyond our own experiences. Yet, these are the very children who need to be protected and kept safe from these situations and horrors, ensuring that they never experience them again.
Learn More
Our organization is working diligently to help victims of sex trafficking. We are currently providing supplies and financial resources to those who have suffered from sex trafficking in South Florida. If you would like to work with our organization to provide relief to these victims, please click the link below.
cuddle a baby in need
Everyone needs a little hug
Cuddle care programs are increasing across the United States as the births of drug addicted babies have skyrocketed in the last decade. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one baby every 25 minutes is born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). This requires a withdrawal program that each baby must undergo. The severity and increasing numbers of babies that must suffer through this has led to many hospitals introducing programs to help mothers and babies.
The majority of hospitals who have implemented these programs have been highly successful with having volunteers come in to help soothe premature and drug addicted newborns. Doctors have even reported that volunteers cuddling the babies reduces both the amount of medication they need, as well as the length of their stay in the hospital. In addition, early skin-to-skin contact provides multiple benefits, including reduced infant mortality, improved cardiorespiratory stability and temperature regulation, and decreased length of hospital stay.
In addition to these drug addicted babies, we will also help other babies in theN
The ITS4THEKIDS initiative will be sending cuddle volunteers to help babies at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital starting in 2020. It’s our hope to provide help and assistance in all aspects of healthcare to those in need.
Learn More
In order to volunteer at the Nicklaus Children's hospital, you will be required to undergo a background check and orientation. We will help facilitate the process for those interested. Please email Taylor@Its4TheKids.com or click the link below for more information.
NICKLAUS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
The Ricky Patel Foundation is dedicated to assist the Nicklaus Children's Hospital to ensure that all children have access to quality health care. The foundation hosts several events throughout the year in Miami to raise funds and awareness for the Nicklaus Children's Hospital, as a leader in all aspects of pediatric medicine.
Founded in 1950 by Variety Clubs International, Nicklaus Children's Hospital is South Florida's only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children, with nearly 800 attending physicians and more than 475 pediatric subspecialists. The 309-bed hospital, known as Miami Children's Hospital from 1983 through 2014, is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, with many programs routinely ranked among the nation's best by U.S. News & World Report, since 2008. The hospital is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and has been designated an American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor.
The Nicklaus Children's Hospital network includes more than a dozen outpatient centers extending from Palm Beach County to southern Miami-Dade County, offering a range of pediatric healthcare services, including urgent care, rehabilitation services and subspecialty physician appointments for children of all ages, including up to age 21.
Learn More
For more information about the great Nicklaus Children's Hospital, please click the link below.