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FY11 Annual Report Released!
Thank you to our FY11 Donors for your investment in the Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps.   View our FY11 Annual Report to read how courage, purpose, community, hope and leadership are guiding the future of our agency and impacting the lives of boys and girls in our care. 
Thank You! We Exceeded our Ride for Kids Goal! 
Thanks to our 2011 Ride for Kids sponsors and riders, we exceeded our $275,000 goal and received a 10% match to support the kids in our care. We are starting efforts now to get in gear for the 2012 Ride for Kids.  Stay tuned!
Save the Date!
Fairway for Kids Golf Tournament
May 14, 2012
Myopia Hunt Club, South Hamilton

June 14, 2012
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

Rodman Ride for Kids
September 29, 2012
Foxboro, MA
Thank You!
We are proud to announce that we received a $15,000 grant from Bank of America Charitable Foundation and a $20,000 grant from Cabot Family Charitable Trust!   We are truly grateful for your support.   
What's New at RFK
Visit our Helpful Resources Page for local, state and national information.
Redeem Your American Express� Membership Rewards to make a donation! Click here for more information. 
Year-long Celebration in honor of Fay A. Rotenberg
School's 30th Anniversary
Created by student at the Fay A. Rotenberg School

This year marks the
30th Anniversary for the RFK Children's Action Corps' Fay A. Rotenberg School.  The program has served over 1,000 young women since 1982. To celebrate "30 Years of Service to Young Women" throughout this year, and we will take a look at how the program has evolved, share the journeys and successes of our former and current clients.  We will also celebrate and acknowledge the work of our dedicated staff and hope we will have a chance to connect and re-connect with former colleagues.

Program Director, Mary Harte, who has dedicated 26 years to the program (13 as Program Director) announced a year-long speaker series to commemorate the occasion, "to kick off our celebration we are launching a year-long monthly speaker series.  The girls in our care have provided input to this series and guest speakers will include many members of the Westborough community who will share their stories as well as their area of expertise. We are all extremely excited for the year ahead."

Read full article (Celebrating 30 Years of Service to Young Women) here and check out highlights from the first Speaker Series guest, author Wendy Wunder below.
MacArthur logo
Announcing John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Award

We are pleased to announce that we have been awarded two new grants by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.  The first continues the Models for Change work in existing sites and the second brings this critical work to four new states where we will continue to provide training and technical assistance as jurisdictions work to better integrate care for children involved in both the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.  This work will also incorporate existing Models for Change methods, resources and tools. 

 

This work reinforces the agency's commitment to focus on national policy and advocacy work.  We are grateful for the MacArthur Foundation's continued commitment to this important work.

For more information on the Models for Change: Systems Reform in Juvenile Justice Initiative, click here.
Winter Wishes Come True

The boys and girls in our care felt the kindness and caring of companies, individuals, and families this holiday season as they opened the gifts so thoughtfully chosen for them to make their holiday bright.  

Our major supporters include: Broadway Across America-Boston, Canadian Women's Club of Boston, Inc., The Chiofaro Company, The Gilman/Andrews Family, The Parthenon Group, Planting the Seed Foundation, State Street, Symmes Maini McKee and Associates, TJX Companies, Transportation Children's Center, United Martial Arts Center for Health & Well Being, Walker Parking Consultants and Winthrop Mind & Body Wellness.

The youth in our care also experienced fun holiday events including a cookie decorating party at Bank of America, a Boston Pops performance and a holiday party with the Patriots players, complete with "Wrap the Pat", gifts and a visit from Santa.  

Thanks to all of the Winter Wish supporters for making the holidays a little brighter.  Read below for a spotlight on The Parthenon Group, one of this year's generous supporters.
Our Supporters in Action
A Spotlight on: 
The Parthenon Group has joined forces for the past three years in helping provide holiday wishes for hundreds of our children through the Winter Wish program.

 

This year the team went above and beyond.  By creating an internal "just-for-fun challenge," not only did the team collect wonderful individual gifts for the youth in our programs, but they also donated some spectacular "big ticket items" for the programs to have on hand for all of the children who come through its doors including:
two hockey nets, sticks, pucks and floor hockey balls, and an air hockey table. 

 

Additionally, for the third year, The Parthenon Group has generously matched dollar-for-dollar the in-kind value of the gifts collected from its team members to be used to support the gift drive program. 

 

"The Parthenon Group's support of our Winter Wish gift drive is a true testament to their approach to philanthropy and employee engagement.  Their employees lead the charge, have fun with the project and encourage each other to give back.  By matching the whole contribution, the company itself gives value to its appreciation of its employee's donations and supports the children in need. It is corporate responsibility at the core," said Cecilia Roddy, RFK Children's Action Corps Vice President of Development and External Affairs.

 

To date, the company has provided an estimate of over 500 gifts through the Winter Wish gift drive. The team at The Parthenon Group has also led a duffle bag drive for our youth during the month of April to raise awareness of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

"The Probability of Miracles" author Wendy Wunder kicks off Speaker Series
Wendy Wunder visits RFK Children's Action  Corps' Fay A. Rotenberg School 
Wendy Wunder visits RFK Children's Action Corps' Fay A. Rotenberg School

 

We were thrilled to welcome Wendy Wunder, author of the new novel "The Probability of Miracles" to the Fay A. Rotenberg School to kick off the year-long 30th Anniversary celebration.  The young women sat in a circle with Wendy who spoke for an hour about what it takes to write a novel, the publishing process and overcoming life's obstacles to achieve your dream.  

 

The students asked Wendy questions about the book and about her life as a writer.  Some of the girls (aspiring writers themselves) were captivated by Wendy and the journey she took to getting published.  During the visit Wendy shared one of her favorite quotes with the girls, "we are more alike than unalike," by Maya Angelou.  As the words sunk in, all of the girls and staff in the room nodded in unison.  It was a wonderful moment.

 


Probability of Miracles book cover 
To read an excerpt from the book, click on image.
Before leaving, Wendy asked the girls to create their own "flamingo list" as mentioned in the book, similar to a "bucket list." Based on the power of her visit, there might be quite a few with a goal to "write a novel." 

 

For more information on "The Probabilities of Miracles" and Wendy click here
To read an excerpt of the book, visit http://www.facebook.com/ProbabilityofMiracles.

Addressing the Needs of Multi-System Youth: Strengthening the Connection between Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice

The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute and Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps are pleased to announce a one-day symposium on Thursday, March 1, 2012 in Washington, DC.
 
The symposium, supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change Initiative, will bring together practitioners, policymakers, consumers, researchers, advocates, foundation program officers, and students from across the country interested in learning about and adopting policies and practices designed to better address the needs of youth known to multiple-systems, particularly the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. 
 
Click here for more information.
And the lucky winners are...
car
Honda Pilot donated by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

The Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps held an Opportunity Drawing in Massachusetts on November 18, 2011. 100% of the proceeds will provide services and support to kids and families served by the agency.  Thank you to everyone who participated and purchased tickets helping to raise $70,300 for children in need.

  • GRAND PRIZE: 2012 Honda Pilot EX-L* WINNER, Errol Flynn of Chelmsford
  • 1st Place: Vizio 42" LCD Flat Screen HDTV WINNER, Pat Kennedy of Boston
  • 2nd Place: Acer Netbook WINNER, Roland Nickerson of Hailey, ID
  • 3rd Place: Apple iPod Nano WINNER, Pat Carleton of Scituate
Children Deserve Better.
Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps is a private non-profit licensed child welfare agency with approved private schools, foster care and adoption services. More than 800 children and families come to one of our 16 residential and community-based programs across the state each year. 

All that we do at RFK Children's Action Corps is based on the belief that every child deserves the chance to lead a happy, healthy and productive life.

For more information and to get involved visit www.rfkchildren.org.