The Flint Hills Foster Teen Camps was able to raise over $126,000 during their 10th annual Evening of Hope fundraiser.
The total amount raised during the fundraising event was $126,292.50, which is a 33% increase from last year. Flint Hills Foster Teen Camps Founders Mike and Lisa Irvin were amazed at the support from the community.
“This community goes above and beyond. It is just really is exciting to see the way they just caught the mission of what Flint Hills Foster Teen Camps is all about,” says Mike.
The total amount raised was helped by a 50% match from The Phil Howe Family Foundation. Mike says Howe is a very big supporter of this fundraiser and the teen camp program. The event started around 11 years ago when Lisa and Mike went to a similar fundraiser.
“We started in that first year with about 50 people in attendance and raised about $6,000. We were ecstatic! Over the years, the support has just continued to grow,” says Lisa.
This year’s fundraiser had around 250 people in attendance this year and about 90 of them contributed to the funds raised that evening.
The money raised will be used to fund the camps’ four major programs. Lisa says the costs come the summer program, as well as the necessary costs to run and upkeep the camp. Mike says they have been able to help over 500 foster teens and they expect that number to grow, which means a increased need. He will use this time to take a step back and look to see what more they can do to help these teens.
“If I could just run around and hug everybody I would do that! Just thank them, thank them, thank them, for believing in our mission! Our mission statement is ‘Changing the course of history, one foster teen at a time’ and people are truly making this possible with this generosity,” says Mike.
The Irvins says they are blown away and humbled by the generosity of the community not only for the fundraiser, but for their constant support of their program.
