The Annual Holiday Party for Foster Keiki is a way to recognize and support foster children and the families that care for them during the holidays. The holiday season can be a difficult time of the year for children in foster care who are not with their biological families as there are constant reminders of the family they have lost. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Holiday Party which provides over 2,000 foster children and family members with a wonderful lunch, non-stop entertainment, lots of activities for the kids, a Santa photo booth and a gift or toy for every child and youth.
For some children this may be the present they receive for Christmas this year. For a few it will be the first present they have ever received. And for siblings separated in foster care, this may be the only time they can celebrate with their siblings and take away great memories of a day of fun together, catured in a special photo taken with Santa.
The Holiday Party, held on December 15th at the Neal Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, is also the biggest fundraiser for the agency raising much needed funds for programs and services that are under-funded or need of additional funds in the coming year. These unrestricted funds are vital in keeping our programs and services running.
There are three ways in which we raise funds for the Holiday Party. We sell virtual tables at the event to underwrite the cost of the event and raise program support. A virtual table costs $500 to sponsor and will then be filled with eager foster children and their families on the day of the event. We also solicit sponsors to cover some of the major costs of the event such as rental charges, food, beverage, transportation, decorations, gift wrapping and more. These sponsorships range from $1,000-$5,000 and can involve volunteer opportunities for employees and family members. Lastly, we secure in-kind donation to feed 2500 people and provide 1200 children with a present from Santa each year.