Among your friends, neighbors and community members, you may discover a child who has a life-threatening illness or who is dealing with a disability that hinders their daily lifestyle. Those challenges can make it difficult and sometimes impossible for those kids to pursue the same activities their friends enjoy.
Their interests may be hunting, fishing, horseback riding, camping or otherwise enjoying the great outdoors. These children may have a “wish” to participate in an outdoor adventure but may also have no idea that this dream could become a reality. Wouldn’t it be great if an organization could make wishes come true for those children? Well, that’s fully possible—because of Benefit4Kids(B4K)!
The Benefit4Kids organization was founded in 1998 and its primary mission is to grant “Outdoor Wishes” to deserving kids and their families. Though Benefit4Kids is based in Michigan, the organization helps children from all over the United States.
Outdoor wishes can include activities such as bear, deer and elk hunts; fishing adventures; one-on-one dolphin interactions; horseback riding at a dude ranch. Those are some of the many kinds of trips that Benefit4Kids has provided to children and their families over the years.
The goal is always to accommodate the child’s wish and to include the child’s immediate family so they can all share the experience and create long-lasting memories of a special time together. Because Benefit4Kids pays all expenses, financial considerations don’t prevent children from achieving their wishes of fun activities in the great outdoors.
A lot of the Outdoor Wishes that Benefit4Kids has granted have had lasting impacts. One young man wanted to hunt antelope in South Dakota. Benefit4Kids was able to arrange a donation from TenPoint Crossbows and an outfitter who wanted to take part to make an impact on a disabled child.
The rest fell into place. The young man spent a lot of time practicing with the crossbow and finally went on his hunt. He spent many days over a popular water hole waiting for the right animal at the right place and time. When the time arrived, the child became so nervous that he started laughing. The antelope wanted nothing to do with that! After several days of hunting, the youth ended up leaving without harvesting an animal. But that did not deter him. Because of his continuing interest in crossbow hunting, he became an advocate for using the best crossbows for hunting in New York state, helping to broach an issue that was a difficult one at that time.
Another example of an Outdoor Wish having a lasting impact is that of a young man from Florida who requested a duck-hunting outing. Even though he had never duck hunted before, he was very successful on his Illinois River duck hunt, capturing some ducks and some pheasants. That wish turned into such a memorable trip that he and his family started regularly duck hunting together in Florida.
There are many examples of kids who have spread the word about Outdoor Wishes to other kids in their treatment programs. Many times, those additional children also end up going on Outdoor Wish trips.
Then, there are times when an Outdoor Wish is one of the last memories families may have with their son, daughter or sibling. There are also those times when the child recovers and grows up to be a great person who has a wonderful story to share.
Benefit4Kids also works and supports other organizations that cater to kids and outdoor activities.
Benefit4Kids Overview
Founding in 1988:
- Benefit4Kids (B4K) was founded by Steve and April Pray after the loss of their daughter Amy, in April 1996.
- They wanted to do something to turn their tragedy into a positive thing for kids.
- In 1997, after what was planned as a one-time archery shoot to raise funds for local special-needs camps, B4K was born in memory of their daughter.
- That event grew in 1998 after the family filed articles of incorporation, drafted bylaws and applied for status as a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization.
Outdoor Wish – Founded 1999
- This program was founded to grant “Outdoor Wishes” to terminally ill and/or life-limited children nationwide.
- To qualify, a child must meet three qualifications:
- Be under age 18 when B4K receives the written request.
- A child must have a terminal illness or life-limited disability
- A child has had no other outdoor-type wish granted from another wish-granting organization.
- Wishes are provided at no cost to families.
- Gifts are provided, like outdoor equipment, school essentials, and toddler beds.
- Wishes include the immediate family members to create lasting memories.
Benefit4Kids Structure
- Headquartered in Michigan; helping kids nationwide.
- 100% volunteer organization – there are no paid positions.
- 100% of the donations go straight to the kids.
- All needed funds are from these sources:
- Annual fundraisers.
- Donations from the public.
- Memorial grants, company-sponsored donations, organization/club fundraisers.
Sportsmen and women are absolutely the most generous and most caring when it comes to getting kids into the outdoors.
Awareness about B4K is by word of mouth, the internet, and awareness sponsorships in cooperation with organizations, media outlets, and businesses.
Benefit4Kids Programs
Many children don’t have opportunities to experience the outdoors due to costs, lack of available mentors or limited amounts and location of facilities offering outdoor experiences. Benefit4Kids works to help children experience the outdoors through several programs, no matter what obstacles the child may endure on a daily basis.
Wild Dawn Program
Imagine the spectacular view of dawn above the tree line with the fresh morning sun radiating across a lake and the mournful cry of a loon echoing in the distance. For many special children today, these natural treasures are out of reach.
Benefit4Kid’s Wild Dawn Program sends challenged children to camps designed to handle their special needs. The camps offer them a chance to learn and experience the great outdoors and help create a feeling of normalcy and camaraderie in what is sometimes an otherwise-isolating time.
Awareness Partnership Program
This program is designed to partner B4K’s work with organizations and media resources to help get the word out and create awareness of the availability of our programs. The great magazines published by Outdoor Specialty Media Group are fine examples of ways we can publicize our group to children desiring an Outdoor Wish.
Visit www.B4K.org to learn more about the organization, its current events and how you can help provide an Outdoor Wish, and much more. Take time to read some of the stories and see the results of how kids from many places and many situations have been helped over the years. The real pleasure for those of us who work with the organization is bringing smiles to the faces of the kids and their families, giving them hope to continue their fights and courage to never give up.
Council of Hearts Program
As with any non-profit organization, B4K always needs volunteers to help with many facets of what we do, including the fundraisers, shows and events children attend. Our Council of Hearts Program maintains a database of volunteers we can reach out to whenever help is needed on any effort.
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