Changing Kids' Lives

Chris Jones ‘13 VSB experienced his first ‘aha moment’ in 2008 when he was still in high school. While at a sporting event in Delaware, Chris and his sister Catherine noticed many seats in the stands were left unused. Chris saw the empty space as waste and thought about the impoverished or disadvantaged youth who would be thrilled to fill those seats. Inspiration hit him: the arenas could offer seats to children in need and avoid vacant fan sections, and children in need could have the chance to participate in a fun outing that they could only dream about previously. Chris and Catherine shared the idea with their family, and the Kind to Kids Foundation was born.

The Jones family was too familiar with the plight of children in need. Chris’s mother, Caroline Jones ‘80 CON, worked with foster children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate in Family Court. “She heard countless heartbreaking stories about children who were ignored, beaten, living in poverty,” Chris said. “She knew that many foster children had never been to a basketball game, see a live performance, received a toy during the holidays, or even had their own cake on their birthday. We started Kind to Kids to change that, to give these children a reason to smile.”

Chris’ idea came to fruition- and then some. To accomplish the mission of bringing joy into the lives of victims of child abuse, neglect, and poverty, Kind to Kids identified ways to comfort children entering foster care, give them positive life experiences, and offer them educational programs and supplies. The foundation began patterning with a large number of prominent entertainment venues and groups, such as the Philadelphia 76ers, the Philadelphia Eagles, Longwood Gardens, Grand Opera House, Delaware Children’s Theater, Wilmington Blue Rocks, and many more, to provide foster children with access to a variety of artistic, athletic and cultural events. Soon Kind to Kids took on volunteers, a staff, and a Board of Directors. The list of supporters grew, and the number of foster children touched by Chris’ idea grew as well.

Today, Kind to Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has served over 7,000 children and has given them opportunities to enjoy entertainment at ticket values in excess of $100,000. The Foundation also expanded its services to include the My Blue Duffel program, through which each child entering foster care in Delaware receives a piece of luggage, a hand-knit blanket, and an inspirational book, and the LifeSkills education program, which prepares foster teens to lead self-sufficient lives after aging out the system at 18 by teaching them about money management, career skills, self-care, and more.

Chris is still actively involved with Kind to Kids. He volunteers at events, provides office support, pitches the organization at various community events, and helps fundraise at every change. Moreover, Chris acts as a consultant for Kind to Kids, using the lessons he learned at VSB to improve the foundation. “My education has taught me to identify a program and work to create a fact-based solution,” he said. “Being at Villanova, I also learned the importance of service and caring for the community.” Chris is a true example of VSB’s pillars in action.

For more information on the Kind to Kids Foundation, please visit kindtokids.org.

Originally published in the Summer/Fall 2013 Issue of Villanova Business Magazine.