LLC Gives back is proudly supported by Great Lakes Credit Union.
The Little Lake County Gives Back program is a community outreach effort to connect not-for-profit organizations with our readers. This quarter’s partner is Fox & Trove.
As a parent, I often tell my kids to be kind (and quiet, but that’s a different story). Being kind might mean sharing with siblings, or helping mommy when asked, or not bickering. But what does it really mean to be kind? And how do we teach our kids during their formative years that kindness isn’t just being nice to siblings and friends today, but that it’s a tool and value that will make them into happier, healthier adults?
When I first heard of Fox and Trove in early 2016, I was immediately impressed and intrigued by their mission to:
“Change the World by Teaching Kids to be Kind and Brave.”
While it sounds like a big and perhaps unattainable undertaking, Fox & Trove Founder and Executive Director Jami Schaer, along with Co-Founder and Executive Director Laura Wood, are making it happen and making it fun.
It all started when a friend mentioned that her kindergartner was being bullied at school, something that struck a nerve with Jami, a mom to a preschooler at the time. Then while perusing Etsy, she started noticing kids t-shirts with “You Can’t Sit with Us” written on them (from the movie Mean Girls). Shocked that kindergarten bullying and “mean girl” t-shirts for kids were actually a reality, Jami started researching how to stop bullying. The research she consistently found said the single most effective way to stop bullying is to prevent it before it even has a chance to start by teaching kids during the formative years of three and six how to be kind.
Many people (myself included) might have just pondered the research, but Jami was immediately inspired and stepped into action, creating Fox and Trove’s mission, website and “You Can Sit with Us” and “Kindness is the Coolest” t-shirts for kids and adults. One of her first customers was Laura, a woman in her circle of friends who wrote a note with her online purchase that caught Jami’s attention. The two had an inspired meeting and quickly decided to partner up and make it their joint mission to get kindness into schools across America.
What sets Fox and Trove apart is they include bravery along with kindness in their education, because kids who stand up for themselves and others effectively are significantly less likely to be a target of bullying and more resilient to its effects. Not only are kind and brave kids statistically less likely to be involved in bullying, they are also happier, healthier mentally and physically, and more likely to grow into happier, healthier adults.
Fox and Trove’s mission has become even more far-reaching than the fantastic t-shirts; they’re taking kindness and bravery to a new level with Kindness Curriculum and Kindness Assemblies. These assemblies are free to all preschools and kindergartens through individual and business sponsors in local communities. The Kindness Curriculum complies with Common Core and can easily be weaved into a school’s current curriculum. The assemblies and curriculum are 100% kid-focused and play-based, which means learning about being Kind and Brave is actually fun for kids.
In addition to the Kindness Curriculum and Assemblies, Fox and Trove holds Kindness Marches and Summer Camp Kind in communities in and around Lake County. As the organization’s mission and reach expands even further, many events will be planned across the country to promote kindness and bravery among the next generation of world changers.
So how can you get in on the never-goes-out-of-style trend of kindness? It’s easy!
- Start at home. Let’s be real. Your kids probably have too much “stuff,” especially after a birthday. Why not ask guests to gift kindness instead of toys? This is an easy and important way to teach your kids that kindness matters, and that they are the best ambassadors.
- Fox and Trove is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization! That means donations are tax-deductible. Fox and Trove believes that Kindness Assemblies should always be available and free in all preschool and kindergarten classrooms, so your donation will be used to make that happen.
- Learn more and spread the word. Follow Fox and Trove on social media so you can be the first to know about future events (2017’s Camp Kind sold out in 23 minutes!), new t-shirts, and inspiring blog posts.
- Share Fox and Trove with your school. Share with your teachers, principals, and school board so that more schools can use the program.
As a mom with three daughters between ages three and six, Fox and Trove’s mission is one I can more than get behind. I hope learning about this organization and its mission inspires you and your family to #BeKind and #BeBrave out in the world every day!
Fox and Trove hello{at}foxandtrove.com
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Great Lakes Credit Union is headquartered right here in Lake County. Their employees and management are your friends, family and neighbors, so they have a vested interest in helping our community thrive. That’s why they partnered with Little Lake Count to launch our Kirby Kids: Kids.Doing.Good program. It’s also why they are our 2017 sponsor of the Little Lake County Gives Back program.
Our 2017 Gives Back program will put the spotlight on three, local Lake County charities serving mothers, families and children in our area throughout the year. We’ll also partner with Great Lakes Credit Union on fundraising and awareness events as well as exciting service projects for the entire family. Great Lakes Credit Union understands that when you invest in your community, everyone reaps dividends.
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