Kars4Kids Presents $5,000 Grant to Delaware Opportunities to Fund Trauma-Informed Children's Book Series

GILBOA — Kars4Kids presented a $5,000 grant to Delaware Opportunities on Tuesday during a special assembly at its TheZone summer camp campus in Gilboa. The check was handed over in front of a dining hall full of cheering campers, who joined in celebrating the local nonprofit's work.

Delaware Opportunities is a Community Action Agency serving Delaware County residents through programs in housing, weatherization, emergency services, food assistance, domestic violence support, and child and family development. The grant will fund the agency's newest initiative: a series of trauma-informed children's books designed to offer comfort to children receiving its services.

Janelle Montgomery, Delaware Opportunities' Child and Family Development Director, spoke to campers about the project. The agency's Child and Family Development programming works with at-risk youth, including children in or at risk of entering foster care, many of whom arrive scared and confused and in need of reassurance.

"So many of the children we serve are going through the hardest moments of their young lives, and they don't always have the words for what they're feeling," Montgomery said. "This grant lets us put something real and comforting into their hands, a book about resilience that's theirs to keep. We already have a committee in place and our first book is being written, and this support helps us keep that work moving so we can grow it into a full series over time."

Campers also heard from Hyatt, a teen camper at TheZone, who shared how her years at camp changed her life. Once a self-described anti-social kid who struggled with debilitating social anxiety, Hyatt says camp gave her the space and support to grow into a confident young woman with strong self-esteem, real social skills, and friendships she treasures.

"To me, and to probably a lot of you, friendship is one of the biggest parts about this camp," Hyatt said. "It's all about people helping each other and making new memories and first opportunities. Thank you so much to Kars4Kids for making these opportunities possible. I wouldn't have any of these skills I have now without you guys."

The grant to Delaware Opportunities came from the Kars4Kids Small Grant program, reflecting Kars4Kids' broader commitment to supporting local communities, alongside its mission of enriching the lives of children through camping, mentorship, and educational programming.

About Kars4Kids

Kars4Kids is a 501(c)(3) Jewish nonprofit organization that funds educational, developmental, and recreational programs for children, including TheZone summer camps, through the donation of used vehicles.

About Delaware Opportunities

Delaware Opportunities is a not-for-profit Community Action Agency committed to helping individuals and families in Delaware County become self-sufficient and improve their quality of life through a range of housing, family, and community support services.