We are incredibly fortunate to have an inspiring group of young leaders on our Kidzz Helping Kidzz Advisory Board. Their passion for civic leadership and dedication to supporting kids in need is truly unstoppable.
Each year, we kick off with a Kidzz Helping Kidzz Advisory Board gathering, celebrating the success of our toy drive, planning for the year ahead, and enjoying some well-earned fun.
This year’s event was extra special, as our 2024 toy drive was our most successful yet! The kids celebrated with a shared meal and exciting games. Unfortunately, a few of our members were unable to attend due to illness—'tis the season!
Celebrating Youth Leadership Kidzz Helping Kidzz Advisory Board Makes a Difference in the Community.
We were also honored to be joined by two members of the Women’s Giving Circle of the Kitsap Peninsula, who presented our Advisory Board with a $2,500 grant check for our upcoming Spring food drive.
They took the time to engage with the kids, asking thoughtful questions about their work with Kidzz Helping Kidzz. They were especially impressed by the wide representation of schools among our board members and their shared commitment to helping other children in need.
After their visit, we took time to reflect on our recent toy drive, identifying opportunities for improvement as we continue to engage large groups of volunteers at the warehouse. As we planned for 2025, our Advisory Board reaffirmed their commitment to addressing food insecurity among youth. One of the highlights of our discussion was an upcoming visit to the Bremerton Backpack Brigade to help pack food-filled backpacks for students in need.
The youth enthusiastically strategized ways to lead our second food drive, including making and distributing food collection boxes to community sites. Several members also expressed interest in involving their schools in both our toy and food drives.
Volunteers Unite Supporting the Bremerton Backpack Brigade in the Fight Against Food Insecurity.
Of course, no celebration is complete without games! We started with “Get to Know You Bingo,” which had everyone laughing as they shouted out answers. With multiple winners at the same time, the excitement was contagious!
Next, we moved to the garage for the famous balloon game. Each balloon contained a fun message, and when the music stopped, a color was called. Whoever had a balloon of that color had to pop it and read their message aloud—leading to hilarious moments of singing, dancing, and storytelling.
Another fan-favorite was the donut game—25 small doughnuts hanging from the ceiling, with the challenge of eating them hands-free. Arianna amazed us all with her lightning-fast skills!
We wrapped up the night with a piñata, which proved to be one of the most durable we’ve ever seen, breaking off piece by piece. After an hour of non-stop fun, we all agreed it was time to call it a night.
Kidzz Helping Kidzz Advisory Board Demonstrates Youth Leadership in Action Through Community Outreach with the Bremerton Backpack Brigade.
Our Advisory Board is making a meaningful difference in the lives of Bremerton families facing food insecurity. With this cause close to their hearts, our dedicated youth volunteers recently spent time supporting the Bremerton Backpack Brigade, a nonprofit organization that provides essential weekend food assistance to children in need at eight Bremerton elementary schools.
Currently, the Bremerton Backpack Brigade serves approximately 285 families each week, distributing backpacks filled with nutritious, child-friendly food. During our visit, Pantry Director Sherrill Gross graciously provided our Advisory Board members with a tour of their facility, sharing valuable insights into their mission and the significant impact they have on the community.
After the tour, our volunteers packed backpacks with essential food items, such as fresh produce, and pantry staples. Each backpack is carefully customized to meet the needs of the family it serves. These backpacks will be delivered to schools the following morning, where staff will distribute them discreetly to students in the program. Today, we packed 120 backpacks, totaling over 1,000 lbs of food!
Since 2018, Kidzz Helping Kidzz has been proud to partner with the Bremerton Backpack Brigade in the fight against food insecurity in our community.
Preparing for Our Spring Food Drive Addressing Food Insecurity and Empowering Young Volunteers Making Food Collection Boxes.
The following weekend, we gathered at our warehouse to kick start preparations for our annual Kidzz Helping Kidzz Food Drive. Our Advisory Board members rolled up their sleeves to create food collection boxes that will be distributed throughout the community.
We started by wrapping large U-Haul boxes in bright blue paper—a task requiring teamwork, with each box taking about 20 minutes to complete. With our goal of distributing 60–70 boxes, this was no small feat!
The sound of packaging tape filled the room as we worked diligently, and laughter echoed as the younger kids had fun playing inside the boxes. Once wrapped, we secured our food drive posters onto each box, marking them as ready for distribution.
On Monday, March 31, these food collection boxes will be placed at local businesses, schools, and churches. All donated nonperishable food items will support both the Bremerton Backpack Brigade and the South Kitsap Backpack for Kids program.
Canned proteins (chicken, tuna, ham, Vienna sausages, spam, beans)
Peanut butter
Breakfast cereals
Oatmeal
Pancake mix
Muffin mix
Granola bars
Building a Better Future with the Kidzz Helping Kidzz Advisory Board's Commitment to Children and Food Insecurity Solutions.
If you’re interested in supporting our Kidzz Helping Kidzz Food Drive, please visit our Food Drive Contribute page here. Every donation makes a difference in the lives of children facing food insecurity in Kitsap County.
We are incredibly proud of our Kidzz Helping Kidzz Advisory Board members for their unwavering dedication and leadership. Their compassion and hard work continue to inspire positive change in our community, and we can’t wait to see what they will accomplish next!
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Great job! Keep up the good work 😁