Full Color White & Red on Transparent (L

First  Wish

Children's Christmas Drive

2021's

VICTIMIZED CHILDREN'S FIRST CHRISTMAS WISH IS TO BE SAFE, LOVED, AND CONNECTED! 

By giving experienced-based gifts of art, culture, education, & pure joy to traumatized children, we empower monumental moments that reveal a brilliant, possible world that will stay with them for a lifetime!

3 Types of Experience-Based Gifts

Mother and Daughter

Things to Do

Create Out of the Home Experiences

Passes, tickets, or certificates to have experiences outside of the home allows children to create new memories, expand possibilities, deepen relationships, & create opportunities to expand their world in group settings

Donate Passes
Chocolate Drink with Marshmallows

Restaurants

Create One-on-One

Experiences

Gift cards, certificates, vouchers, or coupons to restaurants or coffee shops allow traumatized children to have heartfelt and focused connection, relationships, and desperately needed time in a one-on-one setting

Donate Gift Cards
Family with Tablet

Fun & Games

Create In the Home

Experiences

Family focused games, toys, & supplies to have experiences inside of the home allows children to create new memories, deepen their relationships & create connection and trust with their caregivers

Donate Items
White Reindeer on Wooden Surface

Available to families who foster kids, have adopted, or provide a home for endangered or at-risk children.

FOSTER/ADOPT FAMILIES ENROLLMENT

Christmas%20Presents_edited.jpg

A Special Note

As a team, when we discussed a Christmas drive for traumatized children, we all knew that we didn't want to do a standard toy drive. There are so many  other organizations already providing toys for Christmas, we wanted to instead focus on gifts of the heart and things that would help the children and their caregivers throughout the year.  As experienced frontline warriors ourselves we know that victimized children long for and desperately need "connection". Often due to children's traumatic backgrounds, this means needing to find creative ways to "connect" with them, and often. Experience-based gifts tend to cost significantly and are beyond the regular budgets of frontline caretakers who are already giving so much to children in need.  

​

So our First Wish Christmas drive, is focused on meeting Children's First Wishes by providing innovative EXPERIENCED-BASED GIFTS to deepen their connections and relationships. We do this by giving monumental and relationship-building experiences in both group and one-on-one settings outside and inside the home. Giving the gift of connection and a feeling of love will last that child a lifetime!

​

Thank you for joining us in giving gifts of the heart!

The 10.18 Strategy Team

Frequently asked questions

Why do children in crisis need relationship-based experiences?

Victimized children desperately need connection, and they need to build trust. Often this is tricky, primarily when new relationships are forming. Traumatized children do not just open up and share their hearts. They need connections first! A "connection" often occurs through shared experiences. Often victimized children have NEVER experienced normal childhood activities like going to the zoo, museums, amusement parks, etc. Even something as simple as a family movie night is a foreign experience. These experiences open communication, remove discomfort, and start to build/deepen trust and relationships.



Why does increasing a caretaker's time make things better for a traumatized child?

As all parents know, caring for children is a big job and requires lots of time. Caring for victimized children who have suffered unimaginable horrors is exhausting and all-consuming! Every hour we can give a frontline family, we provide them with the ability to recharge, stay in the fight for children, and spend more time with the children who desperately need them! More time is one of the most significant gifts we can give to children in crisis!



Can I sponsor a child or frontline family that I know?

Yes! If you have a child or family that you would like to sponsor, when processing your donation, there is a field titled "SPONSOR A SPECIFIC CHILD OR FAMILY?" In that field, be sure to enter their name and cell phone number to contact them about their gift! Specified sponsorships are available to any foster/adopt family within the United States.



How do I buy or send something?

There are specific things we know that children want and need. We have created registries with Amazon where items can be purchased. If you feel more comfortable with purchasing an item please go to our Christmas Wish List to make a purchase. We also welcome unused or partially used gift cards. They can be mailed to our office address of 705B SE Melody Lane #114, Lees Summit, MO 64063



How do you maximize the donations made?

We work closely with local businesses and organizations for in-kind donations. Last year, we received $20 in in-kind-donations for every cash donated dollar ($100 donated = $2,000 worth of gifts-in-kind received).



How do time-saving memberships help victimized children?

By giving time-saving memberships, we provide the gift of time. For example, if we gifted annual grocery delivery memberships to 250 families, we could impact the lives of approximately 1,000 VICTIMIZED CHILDREN! Families can gain 5 hours per week from their membership, which means that the children RECEIVE 65,000 MORE HOURS from their caregivers throughout the year! To a victimized child, this is huge and life-changing!



RETURN TO 10.18 WEBSITE