OUR JOURNEY
The Story of Kids Matter International
Kids Matter International began its journey in 2005 when a group of six men from North Tarrant County, Texas, were invited to support a charity called Houses of Hope International. Their experience visiting orphanages in Guatemala and Honduras opened their eyes to the urgent needs of vulnerable children. Inspired by their visits, they formed a local chapter in 2006, which later became known as Kids Matter International in 2007. The organization was established as a standalone nonprofit dedicated to raising funds for orphanages and developing programs to support under-served children both locally and globally.
In 2012, the Buckner Foundation took over the operation of the orphanages in Honduras and Guatemala due to the rising costs in running the facilities. The Board of Directors also voted to reduce its focus on international projects and focus attention on the needs within the Dallas/Forth Worth area where poverty levels were rising among school age children. It was agreed that Kids Matter would support one orphanage in India until 2018 when the Board made the decision to focus its resources solely within the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Today, Kids Matter continues to serve thousands of disadvantaged children with the vision to break the cycle of poverty through programs that empower them and enhance their lives. The core programs include Around the Block clothing program, RampUp Reading which focuses on literacy, and the Homework Buddy Program which supports elementary age students with their studies.
“Belonging” is an emotional need for all humans. A person’s sense of “belonging” and “fitting in” can greatly impact their physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual emotions within themselves. This is especially true among children where fitting in is paramount to their feelings of self-worth, self-esteem, and confidence. Children who live in poverty often struggle with fitting in due to their inability to dress like their peers. This can negatively impact a child’s self-esteem, self-worth, and confidence which they tend to carry into adulthood.
The Around the Block program addresses this issue. Through a partnership with Kohls Department Stores, Twisted X Global Brands, and the McCarty Family Trust over 20,900 children have received new clothes, shoes and backpacks since the first event was held in 2006. Annually, our goal is to serve 1,500 – 2,000 children.
Recognizing the importance of literacy and the role it plays in facilitating communication, education, employment opportunities, personal development, and empowerment, Kids Matter launched the RampUp Reading Program to promote literacy among school-age children. Since 2024, over 187,000 new books have been distributed to kids with an average 10,000 being distributed each year. Funding for the books is made available through the McCarty Family Trust.
As Kids Matter International evolved, it expanded its reach and impact through various programs, including the Homework Buddy Program, which supports elementary school children with their studies. The organization has also received recognition for its transparency and accountability, achieving a Platinum rating from Candid (previously GuideStar) for eight consecutive years. This commitment to excellence has allowed Kids Matter to build strong partnerships with local businesses and community members, further enhancing its ability to serve children in need.
In recent years, Kids Matter has adapted to challenges and has continued to serve the community with resilience and dedication. With a new office location in Grapevine and ongoing support from generous donors, Kids Matter International looks forward to expanding its programs and helping even more children in the years to come. The organization remains steadfast in its mission.
Timeline of Events
2005
In 2005, six men from the North Tarrant County area were asked to help raise funds for a charity called Houses of Hope International. That year, they were invited to visit an orphanage in Zacapa, Guatemala which was supported by Houses of Hope International. In 2006 they visited another Houses of Hope facility in Honduras, focused on housing female children who suffered abuse. The vision was to expand the facility into a live-in school for these children and help break the cycle of abuse.A local chapter located in Southlake, Texas was formed in 2006 and the founding members formed the Board of Directors. The main focus was to raise funds to support the housing facility in Honduras and the orphanage in Guatemala. The new chapter, called Houses of Hope Texas, also expanded their support of a new orphanage in Andhra Pradesh, India.
2006
In December 2006, Houses of Hope Texas was approached by a local church to help children in need through a clothing program. Kohl’s in Valley Ranch was asked to partner with the charity and discount clothes for the event.
The founding members and volunteers shopped with 50 kids and eventually adopted the program as a core initiative. The program now known as “Around-The-Block” was expanded to include clothing, shoes, backpacks and books. On average over 1,500 children are helped each year through the Around-the-Block program.
2007
In 2007, Houses of Hope Texas became Kids Matter International — a separate, standalone, nonprofit organization to raise funds for the orphanages and to begin development of programs to serve the needs of under-served children in the local community. The Board of Directors was formed and ‘Whether Around the World, or Around-the-Block. Kids Matter” became the tagline.The first annual fundraising event was held in 2007. “Fruit of the Vine” Charity Ball featured premium wines and other items that were auctioned to raise funds. In 2015, the event was renamed Kids Matter Charity Ball and continued to be the main fundraising event until 2024 when the Board voted to discontinue it due to the saturation of formal galas and balls in the community. The inaugural All That Sizzles Talent Show was introduced as a new fundraising initiative. The community support and sponsorships by various corporations and individuals raises several hundred thousand dollars to support the programs.
2012
In 2012, the Buckner Foundation took over the operation and funding of the orphanages in Honduras and Guatemala due to growing costs to operate the facilities. Kids Matter continued to fund the orphanage in Andhra Pradesh, India until 2018. It was the only international program supported by Kids Matter until January 2018, when the board voted to discontinue support and search for another international charity that could provide annual financial statements detailing how the funds were distributed.The Around-the-Block program continued to grow over the years. Funding to support the growth came from revenue generated through the annual Kids Matter Charity Ball and was expanded to two locations, Southlake and Arlington. Each child was given a $100 shopping voucher, and with the help of volunteers, selected new clothes and shoes. For a majority of these children this was the first time they were able to shop for new clothes versus hand-me-downs. The shopping event was held during the month of November, just in time to have warm clothes for the winter months.
2013
The annual Fruit of the Vine gala was held with a record 400 guests attending. Funds raised from the event fund the Around the Block clothing program which provides new clothes, shoes and backpacks to children in need. Referrals come from school counselors, nonprofit agencies serving families, women’s shelters, orphanages, and foster care services. Families earning less than $25,000 can qualify to participate in the clothing program.
The Kids Matter International cookbook was produced. Recipes were submitted by members of the board of directors, staff, community leaders, families/kids, and many others. The cookbook sold for $15.00 and funds went to support the programs and services offered by Kids Matter.
2014
Recognizing the importance of literacy and the role it plays in facilitating communication, education, employment opportunities, personal development, and empowerment, Kids Matter entered into partnerships between Kohl’s Department Stores, General Mills and The Barbara Bush Foundation to enroll over 10,000 children in a bi-lingual literacy program. Books, in both English and Spanish translation, were provided to the children on a variety of topics to introduce them to new and exciting subjects. Volunteers helped to distribute the books and also read with the children. Each child was encouraged to select a book to take home and read to their siblings.
The annual Around the Block clothing program was held in conjunction with Kohl’s Department Stores in Southlake, and East Fort Worth. Over 1,200 children from GRACE, Grapevine Middle School , Community Storehouse, Battered Women’s Foundation, Passages of Youth, Cross Timbers Middle School, All Church Home, and Hispano Exito participated in the program. Each child received a $100 voucher to shop for new, warm clothes for the Winter.
2015
The Friends of Kids Matter and Corporate Friends initiatives was introduced to help facilitate monthly, scheduled donations. Friends of Kids Matter could donate as little as $10 per month which generated $120 to clothe a child at the annual Around the Block clothing program. The Corporate Friends program enables corporations and their employees to donate on a monthly basis to support the programs offered by Kids Matter.
The Around the Block program served over 1,450 children in need.
2016
In 2016, the McCarty Family Trust granted Kids Matter $75,000 which enabled Kids Matter to serve 500 additional children. In 2017, the McCarty Family Trust requested that an event be held in Austin, where the Director of the Trust resided. The program expanded to serve 1,500 in Southlake, Arlington and Austin, respectively. In 2018, the McCarty Family Trust granted a request for $100,000 to continue Around-the-Block in Austin and to purchase books to support the Ramp Up Reading program. In 2019, 1,800 children received new clothing, shoes, backpacks and books, A request for an additional $100,000 has been submitted to the McCarty Family Trust to continue funding the Austin event for the third year and to purchase books to support the Ramp Up Reading Literacy Program.
In June 2016, Kids Matter celebrated 10 years of growth and success. The 10th Diamond Anniversary Kids Matter Charity Ball celebrated a decade of caring for children in need in November 2017. The partnership with Kohl’s continued to flourish and through the visionary leadership of Tim McLarty, Senior Vice President, Kids Matter became the sole benefactor of the employee volunteer program focused on literacy among school age children. For every 5 employees who volunteered three consecutive hours, $500 was awarded to Kids Matter. This resulted in an annual donation of over $100,000. Funds from the Family Trust enables Kids Matter to hold an annual Around-the-Block program in Austin, TX every November.
2017
In 2017, Kids Matter launched the Homework Buddy Program in partnership with VAST (Valuable After School Time). On average 35 elementary age children participate in the after-school program which is held at the Grapevine Community Outreach Center during the school year. Volunteers help kids with homework, reading, and math from Monday – Thursday, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Note: Grapevine children comprise the highest number of participants in the Around-the-Block program.
Kids Matter awarded a grant to launch the Coffee Barista Program in 2017 at Colleyville Heritage High School and Grapevine High School. Work Transition Coordinators guide and mentor the participating students in the working environment and help students with developing certain skill-sets to succeed in the working field, including responsibility and accountability, structure and organization, and communication skills. Kids Matter believes all kids need the opportunity for mentorship and guidance to develop the knowledge and confidence to succeed in the world. The Work Transition Program continues at these schools.
2018
In FY 2018, the Board of Directors voted to support two international charities for one year; and to continue support of Victory Christian Center in Tanzania as a pass-through donation from 3rd party donors to that charity.
Kids Matter celebrated its 1 st year as a Platinum rated charity through Candid (previously GuideStar). This is the highest rating awarded by Candid and less than 0.5% of reporting charities achieve this award. Over 2,000,000 charities self-report on numerous metrics to include financial transparency, accountability, results, diversity in clients served, percent of administrative overhead, third-party audited financials and filing of 990s, strategic planning, etc.
2019
Over 2,000 children were clothed at the annual Around-the-Block program and 20,000 books were distributed to promote literacy among school-age children. The Board of Directors approved a $5,000 grant to Girl Meets World, 501c3 charity that works with middle schools to teach girls life skills that instill confidence. A $5,000 grant was awarded to Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a non-profit organization that enlists volunteers to build bunk beds for families in need. The beds are delivered and set up in the home.
Kids Matter celebrated its 2 nd consecutive year as a Platinum rated charity through Candid (previously GuideStar). This is the highest rating awarded by Candid and less than 0.5% of reporting charities achieve this award. Over 2,000,000 charities self-report on numerous metrics to include financial transparency, accountability, results, diversity in clients served, percent of administrative overhead, third-party audited financials and filing of 990s, strategic planning, etc.
2020
Thanks to the generous in-kind donation by Twisted X shoe company located in Decatur, Texas 2,000 children in need received a pair of brand new, high quality shoes. Twisted X is recognized nationally for producing shoes and boots from a variety of sustainable products. In addition, for the fifth year in a row, a generous grant from the McCarty Family Trust in Austin enabled Kids Matter to clothe children in need at KOHL’S Sunset Valley store in November. Like many charities, Kids Matter has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. The families we serve are single moms taking care of 2-4 children with a household income below $25,000 a year. Due to COVID-19, many have been laid off or have been forced to quit their jobs to care for children who are being schooled virtually. Planned fundraising events were canceled. As a result, your support is needed even more now.
Kids Matter celebrated its 3 rd consecutive year as a Platinum rated charity through Candid (previously GuideStar). This is the highest rating awarded by Candid and less than 0.5% of reporting charities achieve this award. Over 2,000,000 charities self-report on numerous metrics to include financial transparency, accountability, results, diversity in clients served, percent of administrative overhead, third-party audited financials and filing of 990s, strategic planning, etc.
2021
The inaugural Eagles Challenge Hole-in-One Golf Tournament was held at Timmarron Country Club. This one-of-kind golf tournament was created by Ron Gourley, Board Member and avid golfer. Based on his experience playing in hundreds of charity tournaments, Ron took all the negative aspects of a charity tournament (all day play, one chance at a hole-in-one at 250+ yards, questionable scoring, etc) and created the Eagles Challenge tournament. All 18 holes were converted to a par 3 ranging from 110 yards to 165 yards. Golfers got one shot at each hole for a hole-in-one prize valued at $50,000. Any golfer making a hole-in-one or closest to the pin went to the 19th hole shootout (155 yards) for a grand prize of $1,000,000. Players also had a chance at winning $10,000 at the 60 ft putting contest.
In 2022, Joe Cavender made a hole-in-one and took home $50,000! In 2023, Jeff Olmstead made a hole-in-one at the tournament held at Lantana Golf Club in Flower Mound, Texas! Jeff’s foursome agreed early on that if anyone made a hole-in-one, they would split the winnings! In 2024 the tournament was hosted by Sky Creek Golf Club in Keller, TX. In 2025 the event moved to Bear Creek Golf Club on September 29 where we hope our first $1,000,000 winner will be celebrated.
2022
With the world returning to a new “normal” after Covid-19, Kids Matter found our new normal regarding how we serve underprivileged children in our community. We ramped back up our Around the Block Clothing Program at all three locations and 1,600 children shopped for desperately needed new clothing in November. This brings our community impact to the following:
- 16,425 Children clothed
- 140,000+ Books donated
- 28,600+ Backpacks donated
- 13,600 Shoes donated
Kids Matter International received a generous $75,219.00 donation from Cambridge Investment Research at their annual Ignite National Conference. After extensive evaluation of charities in the metroplex, Kids Matter was selected to benefit from donations of over 1,800 attendees. Cambridge matched up to $50 of each donation and hosted a 5K run and silent auction for the charity. “I was thrilled to learn we had been selected and to personally thank Eric Schwartz, Founder of Cambridge and Amy Webber, CEO. I had the privilege of speaking at the opening ceremony and interacting with guests at the elaborate booth especially built for us. Thanks to all who donated to help children in need,” stated Marti Conner, president.We had a great end of the year in 2022 and look forward to serving more children in 2023!
Kids Matter celebrated its 5 th consecutive year as a Platinum rated charity through Candid (previously GuideStar). This is the highest rating awarded by Candid and less than 0.5% of reporting charities achieve this award. Over 2,000,000 charities self-report on numerous metrics to include financial transparency, accountability, results, diversity in clients served, percent of administrative overhead, third-party audited financials and filing of 990s, strategic planning, etc.
2023
In 2023, Kids Matter went through significant changes. Firstly, we relocated our offices from Southlake to Grapevine. You can find us at our new address: 351 E. Hudgins St., Suite 113, Grapevine, TX 76051. Our Chairman, Bill Sandlin, has stepped down from his role but remains active as a Board Member. Rexanna Sandlin has kindly taken on the role of Interim Chairman. Through Candid, formerly GuideStar, Kids Matter has earned the 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency for the 7th consecutive year. Be sure to check out our Candid profile.
In November, during our annual Around the Block Clothing Program, we were able to help over 1,600 people shop for new clothing! This brings our community impact to the following:
- 19,725 children clothed
- 172,000+ books donated
- 31,850+ backpacks donated
- 17,150 shoes donated
None of this would have been possible without the help of our corporate sponsors, donors, and volunteers. We are grateful for their support!
We look forward to a prosperous 2024!
Kids Matter celebrated its 6 th consecutive year as a Platinum rated charity through Candid (previously GuideStar). This is the highest rating awarded by Candid and less than 0.5% of reporting charities achieve this award. Over 2,000,000 charities self-report on numerous metrics to include financial transparency, accountability, results, diversity in clients served, percent of administrative overhead, third-party audited financials and filing of 990s, strategic planning, etc.
2024
Kids Matter celebrated its 7th consecutive year as a Platinum rated charity through Candid (previously GuideStar). This is the highest rating awarded by Candid and less than 0.5% of reporting charities achieve this award. Over 2,000,000 charities self-report on numerous metrics to include financial transparency, accountability, results, diversity in clients served, percent of administrative overhead, third-party audited financials and filing of 990s, strategic planning, etc.
2025
The inaugural All That Sizzles Talent Show was introduced as a new fundraising initiative. Due to the saturation of galas in the area, the Board of Directors made the decision to forgo holding another gala in 2025 and introduced the inaugural All That Sizzles Talent Show. The name reflected both the quality of the talent but also the fact that in June, the Texas Heat can be described as “sizzling.” The event was held at The Marq on Saturday, June 14th. Ten brave and talented people performed in the event and demonstrated their singing abilities, magic act, comedy, and musical talent. Each performer agreed to raise funds in support of Kids Matter programs. Awards were given to both the youth and adult performer. The Top Sizzler award was given to the performer who generated the most votes in support of their performance. Votes were generated by the purchase of show tickets, raffle tickets, winning bids on auction items, table purchase, or donation made on their behalf.
The two youth performers who sang, Valerie Hakemack and Emma Wiggins, won first place in a tie vote. Zach May was awarded the top adult performer for his emotional and original song written for his young son. The Top Sizzler award was won by Blake Maso, who played the French Horn and raised over $50,000 on behalf of Kids Matter.
Kids Matter celebrated its 8th consecutive year as a Platinum rated charity through Candid (previously GuideStar). This is the highest rating awarded by Candid and less than 0.5% of reporting charities achieve this award. Over 2,000,000 charities self-report on numerous metrics to include financial transparency, accountability, results, diversity in clients served, percent of administrative overhead, third-party audited financials and filing of 990s, strategic planning, etc.
