’Surf Days’ can reduce childhood stress
Life happens, and that means something different for everybody. People go through unfortunate and tragic circumstances more often than you may realize. Support is essential, and one organization providing that for families is Miracle for Kids.
Miracle for Kids was started back in 2004 to help children with life-threatening illnesses and the families that care for them. It is led by Co-Founder & CEO Autumn Strier for nearly 20 years. The organization creates stability for families crumbling from the financial and emotional devastation of fighting for their child’s life.
“We try our best to help families with everyday life needs, putting food on the table, gas in their car, and providing a stable lifestyle for them while they focus on their child and their long trajectory in treatment for their illness,” Strier said as she explained the purpose of the organization.
Miracle for Kids has several programs that families can be part of that help them with their needs. “We have five core programs that work together to help stabilize the family. The first program is our monthly “Pay Your Bills” program that provides financial grants on a monthly basis to families that need to pay mortgage, utilities, and insurance bills.” Strier said.
The other program included is the “Basic Needs Program” that ships items like fresh and dry food monthly, and they also ship or deliver school supplies, clothes, water, and other basic needs items to families. The “Housing Program” provides shelter to families facing eviction or who are already homeless by providing them with housing at Miracle Manor in Irvine to help relieve the burden of housing the families.
The fourth program, the newest one launched this year, is the “Fillers” program. It’s a long-term program that helps families focus on learning financial literature, creating contacts and business relationships to help them get jobs, and offering them educational opportunities.
The last program is the healing program that provides counseling programs to equip family members with stress-reducing techniques to battle depression and anxiety. They also plan “Surf Days” for the kids through this program.
While the non-profit organization wants to help everybody, they have a process that requires other parties involved as they are only referral based.
“We are a referral-only organization and can only be connected with families through social workers that are assigned to families at every major children’s hospital,” Strier said as she explained how the organization is connected with families and kids. “The social worker will contact us once they deem the family requires our services. We also have case managers that are part of our application process and they talk to the families to figure out what program would best suit their needs.”
The organization is exclusive to helping families, but is inclusive in its events and volunteering. Miracle For Kids is hiring volunteers for the organization or community events like surf days. Miracle For Kids will host their Surf Day on July 14 in Huntington Beach and July 20 at Newport Aquatic Center in Newport Beach. Both events take place from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Learn more about Miracle for Kids at www.Miracleforkids.com.
