Alice's Kids Inc

A child living in poverty suffers in many ways.  Their house may have no heat or running water.  The refrigerator may be empty and there may be no electricity.  But these hardships usually remain private. 

When that same child goes to school, however, their situation becomes more evident to others.  Their classmates can see the holes in their shoes, how they never have the required gym uniform or that they’ve worn the same dress three times in one week.  These publicly embarrassing situations can have a terrible impact on the child’s self esteem.                          

Mount Vernon’s public and private institutions offer food, rental subsidies and other forms of assistance to needy children but most are not designed to provide smaller financial contributions to the child who can’t afford art supplies or a new lens for their glasses.  That is why we have formed “Alice’s Kids.” 

Alice’s Kids is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides children a $25-50 gift card to purchase items that may appear “minor” on the surface but are nonetheless very important to that child.  It could be a winter jacket or a new calculator.  They might need a hygiene kit or an eye exam.  In some cases, Alice’s Kids may pay for a college application, a desired set of favorite books or a high school yearbook.    

I can personally attest to how a little help can improve one’s self esteem.  For years, my family received a monthly welfare check that paid for food, rent and little more.  So, I often wore the same dirty clothes to school, missed the class field trip or quit the baseball team after my glove had been stolen.  But I also remember the exhilarating feeling of getting onto the school bus in a freshly cleaned cotton shirt or carrying a new “Superman” notebook after my mother – Alice – somehow found some extra cash to spend on me and my siblings.    Alice is now gone, but Alice’s Kids will help children with the same needs.      

Children with healthy self esteem feel good about themselves.  They do better in school.  They are more successful.  Working with referrals from school staff, non-profit organizations, government workers and churches, Alice’s Kids hopes to make that child feel a little better about him or herself. 

I therefore hope you will make a tax deductible contribution that will be used to buy gift cards that will be given directly to a child in need.  A contribution of $100 means that at least three children will receive direct assistance.  If you need more information and/or want to make a contribution online, go to our website at www.aliceskids.org or contact us at aliceskids@cox.net.      

Ron Fitzsimmons

President and Executive Director

#give2max