Royal Christmas Market 2022

Update 12/5/22: Thank you for your generous support this Christmas! At this time, the gifts have been purchased for all of the foster children who have been registered for this Christmas. Any additional monetary donations made will be applied toward our free summer camp program for children in foster care. Thank you!

Christmas for Foster Kids!

Who we serve:  every child in foster care in Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties

What we're collecting:  ONLY ITEMS FROM OUR WISHLISTS! Please help us in our efforts to make sure every child is treated equally. Do not send in any gifts other than those on our Walmart, Target or Amazon wish lists below!

• new coats
• new rain boots
• new pajamas
• 2 Christmas gifts each

Will you join us?

• PURCHASE from one of our wish lists.  E-gift cards are also available for purchase on our wish lists and are the most helpful so we can purchase the exact sizes we need, as kiddos are signed up.

As kiddos get signed up, their foster parents select their gift preferences, from the pre-selected gifts on our wish list. Please only purchase gifts from these lists!

Donations are needed by Sunday, December 4, please! If you place a Wish List order after 12/1, please forward a copy of your email confirmation to us at [email protected]. On 12/5 we plan to place orders for everything we still need that wasn't donated. But as long as we know your order is coming, we can account for it. Thank you!

Walmart Wish List: <all items have been purchased>
Target Wish List: <all items have been purchased>
Amazon Wish List: <all items have been purchased>

• DROP OFF - For those who purchase through our wish lists, you can ship the items directly to us (choose the "address on file" when purchasing from our online wish lists). For those purchasing locally, donations may be dropped off at one of our bins around town. You may wish to call ahead to confirm current hours. Donations are needed by Sunday, December 4!
  
  The Sugar Pearl Dessert Co in The Merk
      Tues - Fri: 10AM-4PM,  Sat: 10AM-3PM,  Sun & Mon: Closed
  
  Kitchen Inspirations in Three Rivers Mall
      Hours: Tue-Sat: 11AM-6PM, Sun-Mon: Closed 
  
  The River's Edge Condominiums
     1548 River Rd, Longview, WA 98632
     Call Patty L'Amie to schedule a drop off: 360-200-3623.
  
  

• OR Donate $$ or an e-gift card and we'll shop for you! Click "Sponsorship & Donations" to make a monetary donation. To donate an e-gift card, visit any of our wish lists and select a gift card from the listing of wish list items.

NOTES:

• Please leave all donations unwrapped, so we can determine what the gift is, then we'll wrap it before giving it to the appropriate child.
• If you order from one of our Wish Lists, you will have the option to have the item(s) shipped to our wish list address on file. (That option is the easiest option for us.)
• Gift cards are also on our Wish Lists for Target, Walmart and Amazon. Children are still being registered by their foster parents, so we don't have a final count of genders, sizes and gift preferences yet. Donating gift cards will allow us to purchase what we still need, after the kids are all signed up and all community donations have been received.
• Please leave tags on all donations. If you opt to include your receipt, or a gift receipt, for any items you purchase directly, that will aid us in exchanging for alternate sizes, if need be, but is not required.

SPECIAL NOTE: GiveSmart registration is required to donate. Each GiveSmart campaign fundraiser page is separate, so even if you have registered for one of our GiveSmart fundraisers in the past, you will need to register for our Christmas campaign, as well. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding!

We're in search of "like new" kids' puzzles ... those rated for ages 6- to 10-years-old are most needed!

We had a number of "like new" puzzles donated and we have been offering them to foster families who register their kiddos' for new coats, boots, PJs and gifts.

We had more families than usual sign up to receive one of the "like new" puzzles, as well.

If you have any puzzles that are in great condition, that your family no longer needs, we'd love to pass it on to a foster family for you! These may be left at any of our three donation drop off locations listed above.

From our national office...

Our Mission

The mission of For The Children - Royal Family KIDS is to transform our local community by interrupting cycles of neglect, abuse, and abandonment of children in the foster care system. Too often these children find themselves on paths to academic failure, drug abuse, teen pregnancy, sex trafficking, homelessness, and incarceration. At our summer camps and mentoring programs dedicated to changing the trajectory of these young lives, we strive to plant seeds of hope, happiness, and wholeness. By healing the scars of the past, we hope to come alongside these children and help them blossom into resilient adults with the ability to overcome challenges and be successful and healthy members of our community.

For The Children, started in 1985 in southern California, is now the world's leading network of camps and mentoring programs for abused and neglected children. Today, there are over 200 camps in the US and internationally. Our local chapter's first camp was held in the summer of 2018. Campers ages 7-11 enjoy a week of experiences that many of us take for granted, including camping, swimming, nature walks, biking, hiking, having a birthday party with presents, bounce house and carnival, ziplining, or just having a compassionate person to talk to.

Five days of stimulating and STEAM educational activities in an inspiring environment, away from the stresses of life, are designed to reclaim the child within, who has been exposed to abandonment and abuse. Camp promotes fruitful relationships and positive relational, emotional and spiritual experiences that benefit campers not only during the week, but inspire virtues that last a lifetime. 

We are currently recruiting and fundraising to launch Mentor Club in next school year. Sadly, most foster children miss out on mentoring programs. While organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters serve general populations of at-risk kids, they are not designed primarily for foster children. The RFK model is specifically designed to meet the challenges and needs of pre-teen foster children.

Many children in foster care have been exposed to poor role models. Some may self-identify with those who have made unhealthy and/or criminal choices. At camp, we model and introduce them to wise, healthy, legal choices. They are taught they don't have to be defined by their past. It's especially powerful when a former camper returns to camp as an adult volunteer, serving as a positive example of what is possible when they make wise choices.

By investing in their lives at a young age, we hope to help them avoid becoming another statistic.

Thank you for considering partnering with us in making a difference in the lives of the foster children of Cowlitz & Wahkiakum counties.  We will only be successful in this endeavor because of the generosity of people and businesses like yours.

Hear from campers and their caregivers!

Please visit our website at www.ForTheChildrenCowlitz.org to learn more about our local chapter, ongoing and upcoming fundraising events, as well as sponsorship and volunteer opportunities.