LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A valley fourth grader is turning a classroom lesson into real help for kids in foster care.
Ten-year-old Andrew Knudsen hosted a community event called “Andrew’s Amazing Fundraiser” to benefit Raise the Future. The nonprofit has spent 25 years in Nevada helping children in foster care and adoption find permanent, stable and loving homes.
Andrew says a second grade class project about child care first got him thinking about how he could help other kids on his own.
“It all started in a project in second grade when I was, I think when I was about, like, seven or six,” Andrew said. “My teacher said that we had to make a class project. So she divided the class into groups into five people. And then, so my group was really smart and decided to do something for childcare.”
The class project never happened, but the idea stuck with him.
“I was, like, wait, we can sell stuff for children in foster care. And I’m, like, that’s a good idea,” he said.
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Seeing kids without homes
Andrew says learning how many kids grow up without families made an impact on him.
“I saw, like, a lot of children that didn’t have any homes. There was, like, a lot of orphans or homeless kids, and it made me pretty sad. So this is why I decided to make this fundraiser,” he said.
Andrew also had a message for kids in foster care.
“For all the kids without any families, listen to this. Make sure, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have a family, you’ll get a family soon enough. Just keep dreaming,” he said.
Supporting families and kids
Andrea Martinez, director of family support for Raise the Future, says the organization does intensive recruitment supporting youth and families who have lingered in care the longest.
“We focus on permanency and stability for those kiddos and really making sure that they’re paired with the most loving homes possible and that these kids know they have a caring adult by their side,” Martinez said.
The organization also offers post-adoption support, licensing training for families becoming foster parents, and in-home coaching.
Martinez says having a 10-year-old organize the fundraiser is meaningful.
“It is beautiful to have a kiddo who has experienced the system himself to come together and want to bring other people together to support kids in our community,” she said. “Peers helping peers, families helping families, kids helping kids. That’s the way we get it done.”
Those interested in learning more can visit raisethefuture.org.
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