Since its inception in 2003, the Golden Child Awards Foundation has touched the lives of families whose child has endured a difficult situation during the year. The recipients of this award are children in the community who are recognized by GCAF as having overcome severe challenges, physically or mentally, due to an injury they have sustained or other adversity they have endured in a particular year.

The initial 2001 recipient of this courageous Golden Child Award was Harris Bates. On April 24, 2000, Harris Bates was the young man who was shot in the head at the National Zoo. How old.

The 2002 recipient was 14-year old Elijah Campbell. Elijah Campbell was the young man who was attacked by several Pit-bulls on Capital Hill on June 17, 2001.

The 2003 recipient was 13-year old Iran Brown. Iran Brown was the young man who was shot on October 07, 2002, by the snipers who plagued the region.

The 2004 recipient is 10-year old Erica Shaheed. Erica Shaheed is the young girl who was the victim of a critical hit and run while in the cross walk in the 5300 block of Illinois Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. on September 27, 2002. Erica sustained massive injuries to her head and face and was hospitalized for about eight months in critical condition.

Each year the GCAF plans to select a child and honor them with this courageous award. Whether selected now or in the future, these recipients are all victims of a traumatic event, survivors and motivators. They are models we can all emulate in our philosophy of daily living, and look at as example of strength, faith and hope. They have exemplified the meaning of inspiration, and in doing so, have touched all of us in a profound, positive and personal way.

Incorporated on April 8, 2003, the Golden Child Awards Foundation (GCAF) was founded by three Washington, DC Police Officers to formally address the needs of children in the community who have suffered adversity. The GCAF was established because of the community’s heart-felt response to the human face of urban violence. On September 19, 2003, the GCAF received recognition from the Internal Revenue Service as a 501,c,3 Non-profit organization.

Mission and Goals

Although the central mission of the Golden Child Awards Foundation is to provide economic and emotional support to children who have suffered from traumatic violence or severe adversity, the means to this end almost always focuses on a bigger picture that involves the community support and the overall personal growth of participants. The mission of the Golden Child Awards Foundation “To Brighten A Child’s Life.”

In keeping with this mission, the Golden Child Awards Foundation will conduct annually:

• Fund raising for annual award to a child who has suffered from traumatic violence or severe adversity.
• Ensuring Child’s Educational Attainment and Mentoring needs are met.
• Formalize a financial base for future economical needs for all selected recipients.
• Provide annual Thanksgiving Meals to all the recipient’s families as a gift of our continuing support.
• Formalize a financial base for future educational scholarships by involving local Universities.
• Help victims become leaders.

Anticipated Outcomes

Funding for the GCAF under similar request will facilitate significant growth in the number. We believe that the GCAF will have the following important impacts:

• Increase the amount of social support received by the recipient and family.
• A community coming together to support a great charity event.
• Great support from sponsors and participants of the event.
• Ensure the recipients understand the importance of the passing of the torch. Past recipients pass the award down to the new recipient.
• Help family access community resources to assist in recovery and increase their self-sufficiency, as appropriate.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Activities

The GCAF uses a variety of methods and tools to evaluate the effectiveness of activities. These include:

• An annual survey of all the participants, sponsors and venue sites.
• Monthly "check-ins" which staff use to monitor the health and needs of each recipient and their families.
• Evaluation forms for all participants, sponsors and volunteer staff.
• Monthly report forms which are completed by the directors and capture vital statistics on participants, sponsors and present and future recipients of the award, expenditures and other data required by certain contributors.

Past Event Sponsors

The GCAF has had the pleasure of working side by side with some of the past sponsors such as Freddie Mac Foundation, Starbucks Coffee, Nike, AND 1, Kinko’s, T-Mobile, PEPCO , Coca-Cola and the Upper Deck. The GCAF has also involved the soliciting of local businesses and corporate leaders in the Washington, DC area such as the Wish List Foundation, founded by Cora Masters Barry, Fraternal Order of Police DC lodge #1, DC Sports and Entertainment Commission, Paradise Ice Cream, Chipolte, Corner Bakery Cafe and Mount Saint Albans High School.

Conclusion

At the present time, the GCAF, along with it’s board members and friends, work at being “Big Brothers and Sisters” to the Golden Child recipients. As such, they serve as a liaison between the child, school, and family. In the future, the GCAF hopes to formalize the educational component by involving professionals in needs assessment, development of individual education plans and tutorial assistance. This activity will sustain the charitable purpose of the organization by providing ongoing support to the victims and their family. The GACF believes that by maintaining the feelings of camaraderie amongst the past victims of crime and violence is ultimately supportive and healing. To that end, the GCAF relies not only internal support of the organization and volunteers, but also the support of others to maintain a financial base to realize these goals.

We accept donations of any amount and we we appreciate any contribution that you are able to give. You will have the satisfaction of knowing your donation will help lift the spirit of young children who have and are continuing to deal with very traumatic experiences. Every donation is recorded and tax deductible. To donate to our cause, please send check or money order to:

Golden Child Awards Foundation
PO Box 90113
Washington , D.C. , NE
20090-0113

Bob Kinzer
Director of Operations
bkinzer@goldenchildawards.org

Anthony Wash
Director of Events
awash@goldenchildawards.org

Andre Bolton
Director of Community Relations
abolton@goldenchildawards.org

Bill Wright
President
bwright@goldenchildawards.org

Christopher Yezzi
Vice-President
cyezzi@goldenchildawards.org

Daryl Isom
CFO
disom@goldenchildawards.org