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10-year-old Iowa girl unifies kids across USA for hurricane relief
Kids from more than 4000 schools combine efforts
exceeding $5 Million dollars!

President Clinton surprises children during a nationwide conference call

A new Non-Profit organization born

Click Here to Listen to Highlights

In a time when "donor fatigue" is an instantly recognizable phrase, Americans
may be inspired to do more by children coming to the rescue. They're giving and they can not stop. Inspired by 10-year old Talia Leman (TAHL-ya le-MAHN) of Waukee, Iowa, roughly 4000 schools across the USA have reported into a national tally having raised $5,234,735.88 so far--new reports are coming in daily, inspiring the creation of a new non-profit organization called RandomKid--celebrating the power of anyone.

On December 1, 2005 children from 12 schools representing region of the United States, joined a national conference call to hear for the first time just how much they raised together for hurricane relief. Just as the call began, a faxed message came in from President Clinton. He wrote:
"I am inspired by your extraordinary compassion for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Your successful
efforts prove that anyone, even a ten-year-old, has the power to change the world. This generation will determine the future of our country, and your dedication to improving the lives of your fellow Americans proves that you will be up to the task."

One of the schools on the call was Parkridge Elementary in Baker, Louisiana that absorbed many
displaced children from the Katrina region. Two of the thousands of displaced children joined the call to thank everyone for reaching out and told them it is a boost to morale to know that kids are still pulling for them. Mr. Elliot Witney, Director of KIPP Academy in Houston Texas, speaking on behalf of KIPP NOW (New Orlean's West) created specifically for displaced students, echoed their thanks, but added, "Just because the cameras are not focusing in as frequently on the destruction and trauma left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the rebuilding is by no means finished. Please continue to do precisely what your hearts have urged you to do to this point."

Immediately following the call children across the country began contacting RandomKid about ideas to further this movement. Just as exciting, more children started emailing RandomKid with their wishes to help people in their own communities around the country. In fact, RandomKid is about to grant the very first wish within weeks!

"RandomKid isn't just about hurricane relief," said RandomKid DreamBroker and Founder, Anne Ginther,"It's about harnessing the children's ideas--giving them the tools to achieve their already brilliant plans."

RandomKid will carry this national tally forward, allowing kids to continue to report on their hurricane relief efforts. It will also offer a variety of programs and services to empower kids to realize the infinite value of who they are right now and their unique power to make the world a better place because of it.

Back-story:
Talia is a 5th grader in Waukee, IA. When the hurricane hit, she wrote up a plan to get children across America to trick or treat for hurricane relief. She called her movement T.L.C. which stands for "Trick or Treat for the Levee Catastrophe." With help from her mom and a neighbor, she started a national email campaign and built a website (www.halloweenhelpers.blogspot.com) where kids could report in on their efforts. Garnering support from corporations, non-profits and government officials, her project quickly took flight.

Something unexpected also happened: Children and schools across the country began reporting their hurricane-relief efforts to TLC's website. They hadn't trick or treated yet, but they had come up with their own unique ways of raising money to help hurricane survivors. The enthusiasm was contagious. Within two weeks the TLC movement evolved into a national rally and tally for hurricane relief. It was no longer just a focus on trick-or-treating, it was about thousands of kids, just like Talia, who had their own creative ways of helping out. One boy in Florida gave $217.00 --money that he saved for over two years to buy a puppy--because he felt that helping hurricane survivors was more important than getting a dog. A fifth grade class in Georgia sponsored a community car wash and garage sale and raised $5,058.00 to donate to the Red Cross. There are hundreds of stories just like these, of kids across the country reaching out to those in need.

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