Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Calabrese.
Rachel, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
After working in the non-profit sector for seven years, I took a job with the town’s recreational department. I was in charge of programming and enrollment. Often enough to notice, I would receive a call from a parent hoping to receive a scholarship or some help so they could enroll their child in a program. We had scholarships available for summer camp but not individual programs. I would collect funds from family and friends to be able to pay for the program for the child to enroll.
I started to think of how children today are enrolled in programs and how they often are not around to just “play”. What happens to the child that can not take activities due to lack of financial ability? My own children met their friends on the soccer fields, at swimming lessons, at dance classes and more. Kids today meet their social circles through activities and shared interests. They build their confidence by engaging in an activity and continuing in it to improve.
I left my job in December 2016 to start a non-profit organization, ConfiKids, Inc. ConfiKids’ mission is to raise funds to be able to help the families afford to enroll their children in enrichment, recreational, dance, music, sports and art programs and activities. A simple online application process and proof of eligibility for the free lunch program at the school is all a family needs to have their child’s application reviewed for approval. Any child in grades 1-8 can participate in a program (excluding day summer camps) and ConfiKids will help fund the participation costs.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We have had a great time building the foundation of this non-profit organization. We received our 501(c) 3 status without any problems. We have had several successful events to raise the funding we need.
ConfiKids, Inc. – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
ConfiKids, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We help children from families with financial limitations to be able to afford to enroll in enrichment, recreational, sports, art, and music programs. We are proud to be able to help children build confidence through learning a new skill or talent. Our application process is simple and a response is quick on approval decisions.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
We receive plenty of thank you letters and emails from families who appreciate our financial help for programs. We recently received a video from a child who is gaining so much confidence with singing lessons that we helped fund. The child was non-verbal before participating, The video showed a happy child singing and smiling. It showed how a child is benefitting so much from our help. We also had a child just win first place in his karate tournament two weeks ago. This child was helped a great deal through our program. We were very proud to be part of his success!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.confikids.org
- Phone: 781-696-7103
- Email: rachel@confikids.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConfiKids-Inc
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