Pump Up The Kids

11/07/2011 - Pump Up The Kids

Every year around the holidays you are more then likely asked...

“What would you like for Christmas?”

For teenagers in the Alaska foster care system that is not a question that is asked very often. 94.7 The End and the community are working to end that with Pump Up The Kids.

Last year Fatguy (who himself was a part of the foster care system as a youth) started a program that gave teenagers 13-18 the chance to tell him what they wanted for the holidays. Fatguy and his listeners with the help of other radio stations at Alaska Integrated Media rallied together to make sure that all 86 kids got EVERY SINGLE THING that they asked for on their Christmas wish list. This year the number of kids has doubled and we are motivated to make sure that all 144 teenagers have a real Christmas.

The State Of Alaska has given all 144 teenagers a form to fill out asking them what they want for Christmas. Then will then come back to KZND and Brock & The Fatguy and they will then ask the community to “adopt” these kids and get them what they asked for on their list. Last year it ranged from art supplies to Xboxes to clothes. One of the teenagers told her case worker that never in her life had she been asked what she wanted for Christmas. That girl was pregnant and asked for cooking utensils so that she could cook for her child. She got more then she could have imagined and couldn’t stop crying tears of joy when they delivered her gifts.

Help us brighten the lives of teenagers across Alaska by making their holidays special. Help us Pump Up The Kids. We are looking for you our listeners and friends to “adopt” a kid by taking on one or more of their wish lists, Donations of Money (to help buy presents for the kids at the end that we weren’t able to get adopted), or donation of products that we could put in gift bags for all the kids.

We know that times are tough and we appreciate anything that you can do to help because these are really the kids that are not taken notice of around the holidays. The little kids are always first to pop up in our minds and have awesome programs like Toys for Tots taking care of their needs and we encourage you to donate to that program because it’s amazing what they do, but don’t forget about the teenagers in the Foster Care system that not only don’t expect a Christmas, but don’t even know who to ask for one.

For more information please feel to call (907-433-3113) or email Fatguy and thank you for taking the time to read this and anything you can do to help would be amazing.

December 3, 2011 Collaborative Minds and Family Tree Presents are putting together a "12 Days Of Christmas" Pub Crawl downtown to benifet "Pump Up The Kids". There will be a silent auction with autographed gear from bands, gift baskets, and more to bid on with all the money going to buy presents for the Foster Teens. More info coming soon and if you are interested in helping with the pub crawl or donating for the auction please email Sarah Pederson.

On Saturday, December 17th we are going to throw a Christmas party for all the teens thanks to our friends at Red Bull, Peppercini's Deli House and The Monolith Agency and all that attend this private event (we will give invites to those who are interested) will get their gifts and get to see a free rock show featuring Noise Brigade, Turquiose Boy and More To Be Announced Later.