The Life is good Kids Foundation is an action-oriented nonprofit, committed to helping young children overcome life-threatening challenges such as extreme poverty, violence, illness and natural disasters. Our Playmakers Initiative provides training, resources and support to the adults dedicated to caring for these children so that all involved lead healthier, more joyful lives.
Millions of our nation's youngest children have experienced profound trauma in its many forms — domestic violence, abuse, neglect, natural disasters, and extreme poverty. Theirs is a tragic and largely silent epidemic. It receives a fraction of the attention directed at childhood illnesses, yet it cripples development, devastates young lives, and shortens life expectancy.
Life is good Playmakers are working hard to address this epidemic. Playmakers are childcare professionals who have dedicated their lives to supporting the healthy development of young children, primarily ages 3 to 6, who have been deeply impacted by trauma. Playmakers include preschool teachers, social workers, psychologists, clinicians, therapists, and other childcare professionals. Our Playmaker Training Team, who all have extensive experience working with children deeply impacted by trauma certify all Playmakers at our two-day training retreats, offered throughout the United States.
Our Foundation grants full Playmaker Training Retreat scholarships to direct service providers who are working with our target population (groups of children ages 3 to 6 who are living in poverty and/or who have experienced trauma). Scholarships cover training tuition, food, lodging, playkit equipment, and follow-up support and consultation. Training retreat attendees cover the $35 registration fee to secure their spots in a retreat.
Through training and follow up support, Playmakers reach a deepened understanding of the value of joyful play. Healthy, exuberant, engaging play heals and restores what trauma strips from a child. Certified Playmakers learn how well-designed and sensitively guided play activities lovingly reconnect disengaged children, diminish their fears and anger, renew their joy and imagination, and boost their capacity to learn and grow into healthy, productive adults.
In addition to certification training, our team provides this growing community of Playmakers with play materials, resources, ongoing support, and networking opportunities with an expanding army of frontline providers. Together we are forming a powerful wave of joy and optimism - strong enough to heal and strengthen our most vulnerable children.
Will you help us expand this healing work? Will you help us transform young lives? Together we can restore the greatest gifts of childhood — playfulness, joy and optimism — to a generation of hurting children.
Click here to learn more about PLAYMAKERS' unique and innovative approach to healing early childhood trauma.
Getting Started
The Life is good Kids Foundation has been a fully accredited 501(c)3 public charity since 2006. Its mission on behalf of children in need is a vital part of The Life is good Company's global mission to spread the power of optimism. The establishment of the Kids Foundation is rooted in the history of charitable fundraising conducted by The Life is good Company.
The watershed moment in the company's fundraising occurred following the tragedy of September 11, 2001. The public's overwhelming response to a specially-designed American flag t-shirt enabled the company to make a $207,000 donation to the United Way on behalf of families whose loved ones were victims of the terrorist attacks. That experience enabled Life is good to see more clearly the opportunity to have a sustained, positive impact through charitable giving.
Good, old-fashioned outdoor festivals seemed just the right vehicle for rallying good people around a great cause. Life is good held its first fundraising festival in Portland, Maine in October, 2003. Thousands enjoyed the day, and over $52,000 was raised for nearby Camp Sunshine a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Many more festivals followed in cities and communities across the country, with all funds raised donated to selected children's charities. To most effectively manage and direct growing donations and public goodwill, the company established the Life is good Kids Foundation in 2006, in time to benefit from record-breaking fundraising at the 2006 Life is good Pumpkin Festival, which also featured a Guinness World Record for the most carved, lit pumpkins in one place at one time.
Joining Forces to Create a Unique Foundation
Every year from 2004-2009, a Life is good Festival was held to benefit Project Joy, a unique and innovative grassroots nonprofit. Project Joy had been addressing early childhood trauma through the healing power of play for over twenty years, building a community of committed Playmakers — frontline childcare professionals dedicated to the healthy development of children in need. The more Life is good experienced this nonprofit's joyful approach and talented staff, the more we felt a kinship between our organizations. And the more we saw its transformative impact on the lives of children, the more we were wholeheartedly committed to advancing its work.
We signaled that commitment in a historic and dramatic way in early 2010 as we officially joined forces. Project Joy is now part of the Life is good Kids Foundation, becoming the active service arm to carry out the Foundation's mission.
Only the Beginning
In the past three years we have provided training, resources and support to over 2,000 Playmakers who have helped to heal and strengthen over 80,000 children. Our Kids Foundation is in the midst of defining ambitious goals for the next few years. We expect to train and support several thousand more Playmakers who in turn will reach tens of thousands of children. The task is large, vital, and worthy of our best efforts. We are excited to be on the move, with the opportunity — thanks to expanding public support — to transform kids sidelined by personal trauma into enthusiastic players in the game of life.
The Life is good Kids Foundation receives funding from numerous sources. As a public charity, it relies on the generosity of individuals all across the country. It strives to operate with simplicity and transparency in order to honor the trust of supporters.
- 100% of The Life is good Company's profits from the sales of fundraising products are donated to the Life is good Kids Foundation. For a list of fundraising products, click here.
- 100% of The Life is good Company's profits from company-run Festivals and 100% of public donations collected at these festivals are directed to the Life is good Kids Foundation. To learn more about Life is good Festivals, click here.
- 100% of speaking fees received by Life is good co-founders Bert and John Jacobs in presentations given nationwide are donated to the Life is good Kids Foundation.
Your individual donations to the Life is good Kids Foundation make a big difference in the lives of children facing life-threatening challenges such as violence, illness, natural disaster, and extreme poverty. The Foundation is a 501(c)3 public charity, and your contributions are tax deductible.
A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on most carriers. Donations are collected for the benefit of the The Life is good Kids Foundation by the Mobile Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at www.hmgf.org/t. You can unsubscribe at any time by replying STOP to short code "20222"; Reply HELP to "20222" for help.
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Life is good Kids Foundation
C/O Grants Management Associates
77 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02110-1006
For Form 990, containing detailed financial and accounting information on the Life is good Kids Foundation, click HERE.
