ACS Home & Work Blog

In the Kladar family, it has been a tradition that their five children do not receive gifts from their friends on their birthdays. Instead, they will be the one who will share their God-given gifts of talents and compassion to the world. In 2008, three of the five Kladar children decided to create their own charity after their visit from a poor medical clinic in a rural part of Mexico where they’ve known children their own ages in desperate need of life-saving heart surgery. The kids then think and work on what they could do to help. They came up with the name “Kids Helping Kids Fix Broken Hearts” and then created an artistic logo to start with.

Working for funds for the charity, the Kladar kids started with printing the charity’s logo onto dishtowels and sells them for $5. Since August of 2008, they have sold approximately 6,000 dishtowels and have been raised over $55,000 to help more than 25 children. At present, the Kladar children continues to help children in need across the United States. The charity has expanded to help not only children but as well as families. In 2009, the charity partnered with Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital’s Foundation so they can help kids through the Northwest. In 2011, they partnered with Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, TX.

The money the charity raised from selling dishtowels were the ones used to pay for travel, food and lodging expenses for the parents of children needing heart surgery away from there hometown. The charity also cover other expenses related to the surgery not covered by insurance. Now, the charity has helped families from six states of the United States and aims to help at least one child from each of the 50 states.

With only selling dishtowels for funds, the kids in the Kids Helping Kids Fix a Broken Heart has already helped alot of kids and families in need. No wonder, they have been awarded as winners on the recently held 2011 Chase Youth Awards in Spokane, WA and a Finalist for the National Small Charity of the Year Award in San Diego, CA. Sarah, 10 also won a $10,000 scholarship and a $1000 donation to Kids Helping Kids Fix Broken Hearts from Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program. I hope this will serve as an inspiration to all of us especially to the children that in order to help people in need you don’t have to be an adult, a celebrity or a millionaire. Because if you have the gift, even if you’re still a kid you can already help through the little things you do. Whoever thought that through selling dishtowels, the Kladar kids can help lots of kids and families in need.

The Kladar kids sells their dishtowels at churches, schools and community events.o show your support to help the kids raise money, please feel free to contact them. If you would like to have the Kladar kids speak at your church, school or event, they can do that just contact them at 208-772-3022.

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