KidsPeace

KidsPeace is dedicated to providing healing for children in emotional crisis and hope for America's kids and families. Education, prevention, therapeutic foster care, residential treatment, children's hospital. Give Kids Peace!

Why do we exist?

KidsPeace, now the nation?s premier organization to give kids peace, was founded 119 years ago in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The spring of 1882 brought a virulent smallpox epidemic to the Lehigh Valley. Hundred of children were suddenly left without parents. William Thurston, the President of Bethlehem Iron Works, opened his heart to the children in need. He rented a small home in Bethlehem, hired a staff and the Thurston Home for Children was established. The home was incorporated as the Children?s Home of South Bethlehem the next decade.

Shortly thereafter, Mr. Thurston became ill and Captain James Wiley, a military officer and an active Bethlehem philanthropist, donated more than $6,000 to buy a new and larger home for the children. In memory of his late wife, the home was dedicated in 1895 as The Annie Wiley Children?s Home. The name changed again in 1926 to The Children?s Home of Allentown and Bethlehem, but the Wiley name seemed to live on and the organization was officially incorporated as the Wiley House in 1975.

Growing in National scope and reflective of its dedication to the mission of giving kids peace ? KidsPeace, the National Center of Kids Overcoming Crisis was born in 1992. Today, KidsPeace offers the most programs and services to children in the country and become an undisputed national service leader for children overcoming crisis.

What have you accomplished?

Now, more than a century after its opening, KidsPeace offers the most programs and services anywhere ? 35 distinctive services at over 50 centers nationwide ? to help children and families overcome crisis. Our focus is kids. Our message is courage. We aim to help America?s kids anticipate and master crises. We give them knowledge and skills to overcome life?s challenges. More than 100,000 children have been directly helped since our founding and millions have been helped around the globe through prevention programs and services such as TeenCentral.Net, reaching children, teens and families to help before their crises reach a breaking point. In 2000, KidsPeace directly helped over 6,770 children. Our goal is to ensure that no child in need goes without help.

Let me tell you about Steven, a former five-year old child who came to the KidsPeace National Hospital. Steven?s story is horrific, and at the same time, one that clearly shows what we do for kids at KidsPeace everyday of the year. Steven was born into a dreadful environment. His father was an alcoholic, a drug addict and a convicted felon. He viciously abused Steven and his mother for years, and then he simply disappeared from their lives. He left them battered and helpless. At age five, Steven found his mother in a pool of blood after suicide attempt. Wow! How could any innocent child overcome such horror? His childhood was stolen form him at very young age.

His Uncle Bill took Steven into his home and tried to make him feel safe and loved, but too much damage had been done. Steven was a scared little boy and is behavior was understandably his overwhelming pain. Steven?s counselor recommended that he be placed in the KidsPeace National Hospital to overcome his overwhelming pain. Uncle Bill worried that Steven would feel abandoned again, as he had been by his mother and father. But the warmth, care, safety and compassion that Steven found at KidsPeace National Hospital allowed this frightened little boy to regain his childhood. He returned whole to the welcoming home of Uncle Bill and his cousins.

Now Steven is eight years old and is working hard in the third grade in school. He is back in his neighborhood and his old school. He has friends and is ahead of his class in reading and arithmetic. Uncle Bill said that ?without a place like KidsPeace, troubled kids like Steven could have no hope, and our country would have no future. Without KidsPeace, many young children would be forced to suffer a life of deprivation and never know what it feels like to be loved and cared for. KidsPeace gave Steven the confidence to overcome his crisis.? There are so many kids out there who need us as much as Steven did. Your support will ensure we are here for them in their time of need.

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