Gratitude comes easy to The Darol Rodrock Foundation

As Zig Ziglar promised, “The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things you have, the more things you will have to express gratitude for.” And that certainly seems to be the case for the Darol Rodrock Foundation. This year has been one of immense growth for the Foundation, and there’s so much thanks to go around.

First off, sincere appreciation goes to Sporting KC, with whom the Foundation partnered this year. The team let the Darol Rodrock Foundation help host a Title Game Night on June 27, allowing families to have a fantastic time while also giving back. Soccer fans were encouraged to help area foster-care children by bringing donations — including clothes, shoes and backpacks — and placing them in bins placed by the gates.

Thanks to the generosity of some of the 19,835 attendees at the Sporting KC match against the Colorado Rapids, five bins were filled with donations. Not only did Sporting KC win, so did local children in foster care. The Foundation received cash donations, gift cards to Target, suitcases, sheets, towels, pillows, toiletries, laundry baskets, school supplies, laundry supplies and more. So the Foundation wants to also thank the generous soccer fans who decided to give back.

Throughout the season, there will be many more opportunities for Rodrock Development and the Sporting KC team to partner up. All are a natural extension of what the Sporting KC organization deeply values, and the Darol Rodrock Foundation feels so fortunate at the immense opportunities this partnership has provided to local families and area foster children alike.

And this year would not have been such a time of outreach if it weren’t for Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP (KKGU), an incredible organization with which the Foundation has partnered for three years.

KKGU is a one-of-a-kind organization that sets up shop within different high schools throughout the state of Kansas, including Miami, Franklin, Wyandotte and Johnson counties. There, walking the halls of the high schools, mentors interact with foster children on a daily basis, helping them through the ups and downs of school and life. They keep students on track with studies, provide financial aid and ACT/SAT workshops, travel for college visits and provide kids the support they need to succeed.

Thanks to the program, the Foundation was introduced to a number of talented students who needed a little bit of extra help. The Foundation provided these foster kids with much-needed back-to-school supplies, including laptops, computer jump drives, shoes, laundry detergent, suitcases and more. Sporting equipment was also purchased, enabling these kids to participate in sports they’d otherwise not be able to afford.

And, KKGU connected Darol Rodrock with two hard-working, intelligent young gentlemen about to leave for college. The Foundation took them on a shopping spree to find new clothes — jeans, khakis, dress shirts/collared shirts, t-shirts and more. It was the first time they would have new things for the new school year and enough clothes to last more than a week at a time.

“Meeting Trevor and Austin, and so many other area foster kids through KKGU, has been incredibly rewarding for me,” Rodrock said. “Their stories resonate with me, with my own childhood. And by helping them, I’m helping myself. It feels so great to help these kids achieve their dreams.”

“And it goes without saying,” he continued, “that I can’t begin to properly thank all the local foster organizations, social workers and foster parents for all their hard work and dedication. We hosted a fish fry in October to honor those involved in the foster-care system, and it was such a great evening. These are truly terrific people.”

Fifteen foster organizations attended the evening, held at Camelot Ballroom, and many happy tears were shed when Rodrock awarded each organization $5,000 to support its ongoing efforts.

But there’s still much on the horizon. On Dec. 10 a large group of area foster children will be treated to a night filled with holiday spirit. Santa, sleigh rides, dinner and presents will kick off the holiday season. And the Foundation isn’t forgetting the kids in college. Care packages will be shipped off to those away at school.

“We just want them to have a little something that will pick up their spirits, and let them know that we’re thinking of them and believe in them as they finish their first semester away at college,” said Rodrock. “Each of these success stories is a blessing. There truly is so much to be grateful for this season!”

For more information, visit DarolRodrockFoundation.org.

This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Gratitude comes easy to The Darol Rodrock Foundation."