Heroes for Children (HFC) – a unique nonprofit that provides financial and social assistance to families with a child battling cancer – is pleased to announce the addition of its Teen Board. The Teen Board was created to offer unique opportunities for teens to get involved in the community and provide support to Heroes for Children and the families they serve. Members consist of teens in grades 7-12, who will support Heroes for Children’s services and fundraising efforts to strengthen and expand the financial, social and emotional assistance provided to families with children battling childhood cancer.
“Heroes for Children is an organization that means a lot to my family,” said Carter Weinstein. “I have attended many programs with my parents over the years, which have helped families in Texas who have a child battling cancer. A couple of years ago, a good friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer, and I now know (more than ever) how important support for these families is. This past summer, Larissa Linton and Jenny Dowen, the founders of Heroes for Children, supported me in the launch of a Heroes for Children Teen Board. I knew it would mean a lot to my friend that kids wanted to help other kids like him.”
The HFC Teen Board offers unique programs that allow volunteers opportunities to roll up their sleeves and get involved. The board is currently working on Holiday Heroes, where five teams of teens will shop and wrap holiday gifts for HFC families. In just a short period of time, the board has amassed 75 teen members from schools all over the Dallas metroplex – including 12-year-old Sunny Malouf, who is using her talents as a singer/songwriter to give back to Heroes for Children. She recently announced that a portion of the proceeds from her new song “Superhero” will benefit the “superheroes” she met while touring the country as part of DigiTour.
“I'm really excited to play a part in Heroes for Children's new teen board,” said Malouf. “Children's cancer affects so many families and I'm happy that I can work together with other kids my age to give back to those in our community who need our support this holiday season and throughout the year.” Sunny Malouf will perform at the Dallas Holiday Heroes event slated for Sunday, Dec. 11, at McKesson Corporation in Carrollton.
In addition to providing support to Holiday Heroes, the Teen Board has also launched three unique programs: a hospital care package program where volunteers will deliver necessities and games to newly diagnosed/admitted children, a room décor program where volunteers will shop for and deliver room decorations for patients who will be in the hospital for extended periods of time, and a hospital visitation program where older teens will play with admitted children in the hospital playroom.
In early 2017, the Teen Board hopes to establish an HFC School Ambassadors program with the goal to double membership next year. The ambassadors will work with community service coordinators in their schools to bring awareness to HFC and invite other kids to get involved.
“It is amazing how many kids have come out from all over the city to get involved in such a short period of time,” Weinstein added. “We have 7th-12th graders from both public and private schools. The HFC Teen Board is not only a great way to give back but to meet other kids who have the same interests. It’s an awesome group, and I can’t wait to watch the good we can do – snowball!”
There is no minimum number of hours required to join the teen board. A teen can sign up for one or more programs depending upon their schedule. Programs take place throughout the year so there are many opportunities to jump into (or out of) a program as schedules change. Teens can submit their HFC Teen Board hours to their schools for community service requirements. Teens in grades 7-12 can sign up online at http://heroesforchildren.org/teen-board/.