Darol Rodrock Foundation brings support, joy to foster-care youth

There are countless childhood experiences children in the foster-care system miss out on—both big and small. It was startling for members of the Darol Rodrock Foundation to learn that most foster-care kids don’t get to enjoy the pride of senior pictures, nor the simple pleasure of having a high-school yearbook.

So a few weeks ago, the Foundation sought to rectify that wrong. Kansas Kids @ Gear Up (KKGU) brought in 30 local foster-care kids for an afternoon they won’t soon forget at Heritage Park.

“We rented out a shelter and had absolutely perfect weather,” says Abby Young, event coordinator for the Darol Rodrock Foundation. “We had lunch catered, and the day began with a motivational speaker who spoke about the importance of setting goals. The seniors made vision boards based on their hobbies and what they want in their future in regards to a job, family, etc.—both in the short term and long term.”

Next, Susan Estes, Director of Child and Youth Mental Health Initiative with the Mental Health of America of the Heartland spoke about anxiety and depression, sharing her personal stories and struggles with anxiety, depression, and bipolarism.

“She was wonderful,” Abby says. “She taught the kids some positive living habits, and even ended her session with 15 minutes of yoga and deep breathing, which the kids thought was really fun!”

The day culminated in the kids having their senior photos taken. “They brought three different outfits to change into, and we had multiple settings where we took photos,” Abby continues. “A few of the girls were blown away seeing their photos on my camera, as they’d never had their picture taken with anything besides a cell phone. Many of us left the day in tears, knowing how special—and rare—this experience was for these kids. The Foundation will also be purchasing their yearbooks, since the kids can’t ever afford that keepsake.”

“It was truly a day of hope and happiness!” says Cathy Crist, the Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP (KKGU) Region 2 Coordinator. “It was delightful to see so many seniors smiling just knowing someone else cares about them!”

Still that’s not all the Foundation has done to help area foster-care kids. Some 55 handmade care baskets were given to foster children headed off to college.

“We spent early to mid-August meeting with foster youth transitioning out of custody and into the world around them,” says Cathy. “Thanks to The Darol Rodrock Foundation, youth were able to get a head start on their college experiences. The Foundation supplied every former foster youth going to college with a ‘back-to-school’ basket of necessities. The baskets were a blessing; many of the youth had no idea how expensive basic essentials could be. Thanks to the Foundation’s generosity, now students don’t have to worry about finding the money for these items. Watching their faces light up when they realized everything that was in the basket was definitely a highlight for the month.”

The baskets included snacks, personal hygiene items, bedding, towels/wash cloths, school supplies, and a personal letter addressed to each student with the best college advice the Foundation could collect. The majority of items purchased for the baskets were from the donations collected from Rodrock Development’s ‘Title Night’ donation day at Sporting KC. The donated gift cards were used strictly to buy items for the baskets.

Still, there’s much to be done as the cold weather approaches. The planning of the Foundation’s annual Christmas party, which will take place the first week of December is well underway—but the Foundation needs help from the community to make this event a true success.

Each year, area foster-care kids show up in anticipation of a great party, but many are under attired for the cold. A good number don’t have a winter coat, hat, or gloves of their own. The Foundation tries to have an assortment of warm clothes to hand out, so the kids can enjoy the holiday hayride without hesitation.

To that end, the Foundation is holding a Winter Coat, Hat, and Gloves drive through the Thanksgiving holidays. Gently used items are welcome and can be dropped off at any of the Rodrock Development community offices or the head office at 12643 Hemlock in Overland Park. Will you help the Darol Rodrock Foundation warm both hands and hearts this holiday season?

For more information, visit DarolRodrockFoundation.org

This story was originally published October 4, 2017 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Darol Rodrock Foundation brings support, joy to foster-care youth."