I know, it sounds like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised. Kids’ Chance Awareness Week, which starts this morning and runs through November 18th, is all about awareness. Your awareness; to a cause that is helping kids in need across this country.
In case you are not yet aware, Kids’ Chance is an organization largely staffed by workers’ compensation related volunteers, and primarily funded by the workers’ compensation industry. The mission is simple; providing scholarships and enabling educational opportunities for the children of people who were killed or seriously injured on the job. I can tell you from personal experience that it is an outstanding cause, driven by passionate people who truly care about providing opportunity for these kids.
Here is a very brief timeline to help you understand how the organization came to be:
1988 – Kids’ Chance is founded in Valdosta, GA, by attorney Bob Clyatt.
1990’s – Several chapters opened in neighboring states
2006 – Kids’ Chance of America, Inc., was established as an umbrella organization to insure best practices and facilitate national growth.
2015 – Kids’ Chance of Florida, Inc. established (OK, there is no reason to single that out other than I am very proud to be part of it, and it is after all, my blog).
2016 – You became aware of Kids’ Chance, and immediately contacted a local chapter to get involved and give them all your time and money.
OK, I might have made a couple assumptions on that last point…..
Today, Kids’ Chance has issued thousands of scholarships totaling nearly $14,000,000.
Believe it or not, money is a secondary issue to many KC Chapters. What we really need is for professionals in the industry; those who deal with families in need, to pay attention and understand that this program is available. Applicants are still difficult to come by, and that is in large part because the industry has not driven the message into the trenches of workers’ comp, where the people who can do the most good make it a part of their daily interactions.
Hence, Awareness Week, people. I hope you are paying attention.
You will note several Kids’ Chance related articles in our CompNewsNetwork News Center this morning, including an announcement about Awareness Week and a letter issued by President Obama acknowledging the event. If you visit most areas of our site, you will see we are featuring the Kids’ Chance Blue and Green in our masthead for the week. Hopefully, as you visit other workers’ comp related websites (who am I kidding, there really aren’t any), you will see the KC Awareness Week Badge and know we are all striving for a better and broader outreach to these kids in need.
You can learn more about Kids’ Chance here. So let’s get out there and spread the word, shall we?