In two surprise announcements, The Delaware KIDS Fund presented the 2022-2023 Sam Hanna Ambassador of the Year Awards to Wilmington Friends School 6th Grader, Harper McKean and members of the Friends of Fusion Foundation.

HARPER MCKEAN: A longtime supporter of the Delaware KIDS Fund since she could crawl (we have photo evidence of this!), Harper has raised thousands of dollars over the last five years to help support our annual coat campaign. Known for her modest, mild and polite personality, Harper is not one for attention – which is why we decided to surprise her in front of her 6th grade classmates at Wilmington Friends School. Harper is the definition of our next generation, supporting our next generation.

FRIENDS OF FUSION FOUNDATION: In 2022, Friends of Fusion Foundation (led by Nic Decaire and Jeff Leggett) rallied their base of donors and hosted a satellite campout to help towards the annual campout for coats. Thanks to the partnership with Friends of Fusion Foundation, the 2022 Delaware KIDS Fund Camping out for Coats was the most successful fundraising campaign in history with FOF helping raise over $8,000 from their satellite campout. The Delaware KIDS Fund surprised Jeff and Nic at their annual golf outing at Deerfield Golf Club in Newark.

The Delaware KIDS Fund, Harvey, Hanna & Associates, non-profit coat manufacturer Operation Warm and 30 area businesses hosted a coat delivery parade on Wednesday, December 21st at 10AM at Richey Elementary School in Newport. Each student at Richey received a brand-new coat as a result of the recent Operation Warm: Newport Delaware KIDS Fund Camping out for Coats campaign.

A fleet of 30 vehicles including fire trucks from Minquas Fire Companies (including Santa Clause) and various sponsor vehicles traveled down Highland Avenue, entering into the parking lot of Richey Elementary school led by the 76ers “Stixters” drum line band.

Each vehicle unloaded boxes of coats and presented the coats to school administrators and select number of students outside of the school while all of the students cheered on the coat coat parade.

The Delaware KIDS Fund, Harvey, Hanna & Associates, non-profit coat manufacturer Operation Warm and 20 area businesses hosted a coat delivery parade on Thursday, December 9^th at 10AM at Richardson Park Elementary School. Each student at Richardson Park received a brand-new coat as a result of the recent Operation Warm: Newport Delaware KIDS Fund Camping out for Coats campaign.

A fleet of 30 vehicles including fire trucks from Five Points and Minquas Fire Companies (including Santa Clause) and various sponsor vehicles traveled from Banning Park, crossing Middleboro Road into the parking lot of Richardson Park Elementary school led by the 76ers “Stixers” drum line band.

Each vehicle unloaded boxes of coats and presented the coats to school administrators and select number of students outside of the school while all of the students cheered on the coat coat parade.

November 2021

The Delaware KIDS Fund will hosted the 5^th Annual “Operation Warm Newport: Delaware KIDS Fund Camping Out for Coats” on Friday, November 19^th.

Members of The Delaware KIDS Fund, Harvey, Hanna & Associates, local business, and community leaders pitched tents and camped out in a field located at 10 S. James Street while remote campers also camped out from home to help create awareness for the greater Wilmington/Newport’s population of elementary children living below the poverty line. The Delaware KIDS Fund Camping out for Coats program is an annual challenge based fundraising campaign that provides brand new Operation Warm coats for every student at select Delaware schools ahead of the winter season.

The Delaware KIDS Fund has partnered with Operation Warm, a national non-profit organization that works directly with coat manufacturers to create their own line of carefully crafted winter coats made exclusively for kids in a wide variety of styles and colors.

The Delaware KIDS Fund Newport camp experience will included campfires, food courtesy of James Street Tavern, Serpes Bakery, Dom’s Pizza and Mary’s Kountry Kitchen, live music with Sam Smick and guests from the community for a series of “fire-side chat’s”. The campsite also featured the “Against the Grain Arts” Camper’s Lounge which included a snack pantry, make-your-own S’Mores bar, coffee station, bar (sponsored by 2SP Brewery) light arts and crafts for kids and other activities.

“Providing a child in a need a brand-new coat creates confidence, improves peer-acceptance and ignites inspiration,” said Ryan Kennedy, Executive Director – The Delaware KIDS Fund. “If we can inspire these children during this critical period in their lives, they will have a better opportunity to succeed and ultimately help strengthen the future of our communities ” .

For full camp details and additional information on Operation Warm Newport, visit: www.campingforcoats.com

Interested in camping, donating funds or goods, visit the website or contact: Ryan Kennedy, 302-323-9300 Ext. 117

September 2021

The Delaware KIDS Fund team had the honor of joining our (new) friends from Friendship House of Wilmington in visiting one of our all-time favorite schools at Richardson Park Elementary. The Delaware KIDS Fund and Friendship House worked together to acquire and deliver over 600 school uniform items for the students at Richardson Park.