Click here to read our latest eNews announcing our Board of Directors for 2011-12. Just three years young, K is for Kids’ founder, Karen Clawson, notes that the upcoming year will see the Foundation continue to keep growth bridled for the vibrant powerhouse while it concentrates on cementing a secure base of economic funding.
“The bricks and mortar have been laid now, and we begin to incorporate ‘fundraising’ into our traditional ‘fun’raising’ season. We recognize the need to establish financial viability and economic sustainability in order to ensure a secure presence for the children that rely upon us to help feed them the books and reading resources they need to succeed.”
Noting that the years spent concentrating on core mission and objectives had paid off, “it’s also wonderful to be able to focus again on the signature event that made our grassroots cause ignite the imaginations of so many in the community — the Bring a Book, Bring a Friend Fun’raiser. Clawson says she has never lost sight of her vision of sharing the message she first heard years ago from the mouths of young students: “A boy had come into the my children’s school library where I was volunteering; and he was so hopeful when he came up to ask me if any new books had come in. There hadn’t, and though he ended up finding a book to check out, I got the feeling he was just settling; the excitement just wasn’t there.” Seeing hundreds of children come in each school day hoping to discover another great book, “I couldn’t bear the thought that a child might leave empty handed or disappointed. I knew that I had to do something about it. I had to raise more books for them to read.”
Now Clawson says she’s fortunate to have a team of professionals whom she says feel the same way, “Our board members believe strongly in the importance of this mission. We believe all children should have access to the books they need to succeed in school and in life.”