In this quarterly update we share how God is working to impact lives. Enjoy!
Welcome To The Good News
The Gift of Serving Others
Wrapping Up A Year Of Gratitude
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MEALS PACKED
This Quarter
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PLAYGROUNDS BUILT
This Quarter
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KIDS IN STORYCLUBS
This Quarter
As we wrap up 2024, we reflect on what a truly special year it was. KATW celebrated 30 years of serving children, their families, and communities through FOOD, PLAY, and STORY.
To mark this milestone, we shared our gratitude with monthly social media flashbacks, highlighting the incredible journey we’ve taken together. Thank you for joining us on this walk down memory lane and celebrating all that God has accomplished to bring transformative hope to kids around the world!
If you missed it, you can catch up by following us on one of our social media platforms here:
Here’s to the next chapter of making an impact—together!
FOOD
Reflecting on the final 3 months of 2024, our hearts are brimming with gratitude for the millions of meals that YOU packed! Not only did you pour thousands of cups of food but also immeasurable love into tummies and hearts, showing kids, families and communities that nourishment brings not just sustenance, but hope.
- Aside from autumn’s beauty, abundant generosity was on full display in October as our partners came together to pack meals for meaningful change! We were thrilled to see communities rally to make an impact including Christ Wesleyan Church in Pennsylvania, Brooklife Church in Wisconsin, FishHawk Fellowship in Florida, and Stonebridge Church with Family Legacy in Texas. These incredible partners rallied to provide a source of relief and serve others.
- November, the season of gratitude, saw dozens of partners choosing to give thanks by giving hope. From churches and schools to businesses and families, their collective efforts were truly impactful! We are especially grateful for partners like Unity FWB in North Carolina, Summit Church in Florida, First Baptist Church in Pennsylvania, and Santa Fe Christian School in California. One particularly special moment came at Evolve Church in Wisconsin, where a young child’s heartfelt prayer kicked off their meal-packing event, embodying the true spirit of Thanksgiving.
- The festive month of December was surely a season to serve others that brought our year-end meal packing total to an impressive 14.4 M! Thanks so much to the incredible support of business partners such as Owens Corning, CapRock Partners, and Financial Statement Services Inc. and dedicated churches like Fellowship Crosspoint in New Jersey, Community Life in Virginia, and Grace City in California. We’re grateful for each partner who helped share the gift of FOOD this holiday season!
PACKING WITH A PURPOSE AND A VIEW!
With steady partners and friends, Captain Dave and Giselle hosted their annual meal event in gorgeous Dana Point, CA. What an amazing time serving alongside this dedicated and big hearted team. With over 50 thousand meals packed and headed for precious children in Uganda, it’s a testament that impact can be made ANYWHERE (even beachside!) and be felt around the world.
A TRADITION OF SERVING OTHERS
Since 2015, the Kemerer Family from Illinois has hosted an annual meal-packing event that brings together friends and family to make a difference. Last year, they reached an incredible milestone—packing their one millionth meal with us!
This tradition of service and impact continues strong. In their 10th Annual Frankfort Food Packing Event held this past quarter, over 600 dedicated volunteers came together to pack over 165,000 meals.
We are grateful for the Kemerer Family’s commitment and partnership to bring joy and hope through nourishing FOOD!
EMPOWERING EDUCATION AND NOURISHING FUTURES
Our friend, Shelle, recently volunteered in Uganda, an experience that profoundly changed her life. Witnessing the immense need, she co-founded Empower Education alongside a dedicated Ugandan social worker. Together, they are transforming educational opportunities for underprivileged children in Uganda’s Kaliro District by upgrading school facilities and fostering supportive learning environments.
In support of her organization, 100 high school students in the US gathered with a mission: to pack meals for the children supported by Empower Education. Through their incredible teamwork, they packed over 15,000 meals that will soon be on their way to Uganda, bringing vital nourishment to the children of the Kaliro District.
This effort reflects the power of collective action to create lasting change.
COMPASSION SHOWN IN FLORIDA
In the aftermath of Florida hurricanes Helene and Milton, partner organizations and countless volunteers joined to pack hundreds of thousands of meals. Distributed by our partner, Convoy of Hope, these meals brought much needed relief to those struggling in the devastation. Read the full update HERE to learn more about the impact of our Restore Florida campaign and the difference made by so many.
PLAY
The Play Program has not slowed down! The chilly weather may impede playground tearouts but our team is still just as active with refurbishments in the warehouse, prepping for future builds! This year we have refurbished 81, shipped 70 and installed 72 playgrounds to places as far away as Belize, Ecuador, Philippines, Uganda, Eswatini, Panama and Ukraine to name a few!
JOY TO LONG AWAITING COMMUNITY
In October, a small but mighty team of nine participants, including three incredible kids (ages 9 to 12), brought hope and joy to a community in Bahía. The kids on the team added a vibrant energy and a unique perspective, making this build truly unforgettable!
This wasn’t just any project—it was monumental to those in the community. The school principal shared that the community had waited 20 years for something good to happen for their children. Thanks to the generous funding of Larry Nolph (who had previously funded our first GenHope playground in Ecuador), this playground finally became a reality!
ACCOMPLISHING A DREAM MILESTONE
After months of anticipation, our team traveled to Ukraine in October to share the gift of PLAY with underserved Rroma children. Discover the story behind this new safe haven of JOY HERE!
A PLAYGROUND: LOVE AND LEGACY
A special team from across the U.S. traveled to the Dominican Republic as JOY builders, assembling a playground relocated from Yorkville, IL. But this wasn’t just any playground—it was originally donated years ago in loving memory of a child who passed away. This trip became even more special as the child’s father joined the team to help replant the playground, ensuring his child’s memory would continue to touch lives.
READ HERE how he turned the loss of a child into a legacy of love.
The build was a beautiful testament to teamwork and camaraderie, as volunteers labored in unity along the way. Beyond the playground, they saw God’s hand at work through our Story Clubs, joining one in celebrating its first-ever food distribution—a powerful milestone of hope for the community. The bonus was their ability to spare some time to take in the vibrant culture of the island.
It’s being remembered as a week filled with purpose, connection, and joy—a reflection of how a legacy of love can make an impact both at home and across borders.
NOT SOON FORGOTTEN
The second week in November marked an unbelievable Little Tikes Commercial Team Trip to Ecuador. LTC is a valued partner dedicated to sharing the gift of PLAY with underserved children around the world. Our team of 13 volunteers that included sales reps, family, and Little Tikes leadership came together to build two playgrounds in two and half days for two separate communities. A participant shared, “One of the best parts of the trip was being able to experience all aspects of Kids Around the World. As a team we were able to visit homes in the communities, hand out OneMeal, and take part in StoryClubs. Being able to have an impact and see the hope-filled, transformed lives in these Global Communities is something not soon forgotten.”
AN EXPERIENCE WITH A LASTING IMPRESSION
Members of the Young Presidents’ Organization joined us on a GO! Trip to the DR in 2023. Inspired by their experience, they extended the invitation to others in 2024. Check out HERE why these young executives say they’re “hooked”!
HOPE AND HEALING IN THAILAND
We are deeply grateful for partners like Criterion, whose motto of breeding generosity shines through their incredible support. Their efforts extend to some of the world’s most challenging areas, bringing hope to children affected by human trafficking, poverty, and displacement.
In Thailand, Criterion partnered with Venture Missions to join us via virtual training, empowering them to bring hope and healing through play to remote tribal areas. One recent effort focused on a school serving approximately 150 refugee children.
Here, kids who have faced unimaginable hardships were given the opportunity to bask in some much needed moments of joy!
STORY
DON’T MISS THE DOWNLOAD
DID YOU KNOW? We have a new KIDStory app available HERE!
If you’re ready to disciple and inspire kids with incredible resources, the KIDStory App will give you instant access to tools and tips to help children experience God’s Word like never before!
We recently held a webinar to help you learn more about navigating through all of its resources. If you missed it or are just now taking advantage of downloading it, catch up by watching insightful training HERE or clicking below!
What people are saying!
- I am thankful for the quick access that this app gives to all of KidStory’s great resources
- It’s a great resource for KIDStory leadership
- It’s such quick access to a treasure of information – awesome job
- I am so excited for the breakdown of the topics. I downloaded the app earlier during the day and the materials are really amazing! I can’t wait to enjoy with the children
- Next month we are going to arrange a Christmas Children’s Party in Lahore Pakistan. We’ll definitely use KIDStory in our event.
- It’s such an important resource to teaching our kids in the church
- Very exciting topics and I’m most excited about The Gospel and Jesus Story
STORY AROUND THE WORLD
Hope-filled, life-changing transformation continues to take place as God grows and uses KIDStory in many corners of the globe:
Our friends in VIETNAM recently attended a vision-casting training session to explore how they can multiply the impact of engaging children with God’s Word through STORY in their communities. Please pray for them as they prepare to pursue further training in 2025!
StoryClubs are being introduced and replicated in increasingly remote areas of UGANDA!
We recently concluded a workshop with the Badjao Tribe in the PHILIPPINES! The Badjao Church is now equipped and ready to share the gospel with their community. A heartfelt thank you to our partner, International Service Corps of Asia, for introducing us to this incredible group and helping train them! The team prepared a full day of joy-filled activities, including a feeding program, gift-giving, children’s evangelism, and a KIDStory workshop—all culminating in a wonderful Christmas celebration.
Amid ongoing humanitarian crises, we witnessed an inspiring moment as groups of pastors in MYANMAR came together to learn about KIDStory. They are now preparing to expand its use in their ministries to reach and impact the lives of children.
In beautiful SWAZILAND, StoryClubs continue to encourage children to interact with God’s Word in ways that are fun and effective. One such community had their kids retelling the story of the angel’s visit to the shepherds using some woolen toys. The rest of the group helped with reciting the story as it unfolded – drawing in participation with everyone present!
GLOBAL COMMUNITIES
“SAVING OUR NATION”
Our Global Communities in Panama are thriving and we’re celebrating! With 5 active Hope Zones and 6 additional prospect communities, more than 500 children will be impacted! Three of these Hope Zones reflect a diverse mix of ethnic groups and are strategically located in the eastern part of the country.
As we collaborate with local pastors who are actively reaching out to children in their communities, churches are being revitalized. Their outreach efforts through KidStory have resulted in the establishment of story clubs and the growth of their church congregations.
The communities participating in OneMeal are also enthusiastic about the opportunity to provide vital nutrition to children in their communities suffering from the negative effects of malnutrition.
Pastor Fuentes, Director of Missions for the Assemblies of God, emphasized, “The churches will sustain themselves with new generations. By empowering those who serve today, we are effectively saving our nation. We are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with KATW, which shares our vision and commitment to uplifting these communities.”
CHRISTMAS CATALOG: The Season to Give Never Ends!
We were excited to share our “Season To Serve Others” Christmas catalog with you beginning in November of 2024. Thank you to all who chose to make a very tangible impact of joy and hope in the lives of kids, families and communities around the world. IF YOU MISSED IT, our catalog link is available HERE through the end of January.
It’s a beautiful way to kick-off 2025 and it offers the opportunity to continue Serving Others by signing up to be part of The Community as a MONTHLY DONOR. This ensures ongoing support towards transforming lives! We’d love for you join us HERE!
