I was 4 years old when I began going to City Kidz. I was welcomed by all the volunteers as I walked off the big red bus and went through the doors of the Playhouse. As a Kinder Kid, I played games, danced to songs, and made new friends. When the Saturday ended, I was already thinking of the next inspiring Saturday.

I am now 15 years old and am a red vest volunteer at City Kidz. Being a volunteer means a lot to me because there is nothing more special than a kid’s smile. City Kidz changed me by showing me that I belong to something and they gave me confidence. Without City Kidz I would be nowhere. So now I want to give something to other kids and that’s the gift of faith. As a volunteer, I can hopefully make a positive attitude in a kid’s life, make a difference in their life, and hope for their dreams to come true.

When I was a kid, what I liked most about City Kidz was the fact that they always made me feel like I was family. When things were hard at home or at school, they were there to listen to what I had to say. I like when they came to visit me on home visits to tell me what we were going to be doing the next Saturday.

At City Kidz, I have learned that with God I can dream big, and that no matter who I am God loves me and all my friends. I dream of being a writer and the first thing I want to write about is City Kidz. I hope that, with God, I can make my dream and goals come true.

If I got to talk to the Board of City Kidz, I would thank them for helping Todd Bender start City Kidz because, without City Kidz, there would be a lot of kids that wouldn’t feel the sense of belonging or the sense of someone caring for them. I would thank them for the doors that they open in the lives of kids.

THANK YOU, CITY KIDZ, FOR BEING A BIG PART OF MY LIFE AND FAMILY!