2022 in Review
First Responders Children’s Foundation celebrates a year of transformative growth and remarkable accomplishments on a national scale.
New and expanded programs
Our organization has grown and evolved to respond to the multifaceted needs of children of first responders. We added two new programs and expanded two more—our flagship Scholarship program and our Community Engagement initiatives.
Strengthening mental health resiliency. Recognizing the unique emotional burdens that children of first responders carry, we added a new Resiliency program that empowers children to cope with stress, manage their fears and build mental resilience. Since the introduction of the program during Mental Health Awareness Month in May, we have provided over 600 hours of shortterm counseling from licensed mental health professionals who specialize in working with children of first responders.
Supporting families during natural disasters. When Hurricane Ian struck in the fall, we responded swiftly through a new initative to support the families of first responders on the front lines. Our Natural Disaster Response grant provides essential assistance, offering financial support, resources and comfort to first responder families in their time of need. Our goal is to help first responder families get back on their feet after a natural disaster—and to help children feel safe and cared for while their parents are out saving others.
Children of first responders received free & confidential counseling
in scholarship funds distributed
Empowering future leaders. Our Scholarship program reached new heights. We awarded 343 scholarships totaling over $1 million—a record. To further enrich this flagship program, we established the Scholars Council. The Council provides our scholars with numerous opportunities to develop essential life skills and career readiness, empowering them to pursue their educational dreams. To accomplish this, we offer access to a diverse group of experienced professionals who are dedicated to guiding and supporting scholars on their academic journey.
Inspiring community engagement. In 2022 we expanded our Community Engagement programs. We added more locations across the country for our Toy Express initiative, funded youth development events in underserved communities and renamed our kids’ camps with both police and fire agencies as “Junior First Responder Camps.” At a time when both first responders and communities need it, these programs work at forging lasting relationships, giving back to children, inspiring a new generation and strengthening the bonds between communities and public safety agencies.
MacKenzie Scott provides a generous donation
We were honored to receive a substantial, unsolicited gift from MacKenzie Scott in 2022. Our mission’s focus on supporting women and families within a diverse first responder community—and our demonstrated commitment to DEI with women in key leadership roles within our organization—were among the qualifying factors for the award. This gift was transformative for FRCF, enabling us to build our organization’s people infrastructure, grow existing programs and launch new ones to match the sizable and increasing needs of first responder families across the country.
New People
We’ve expanded our team of dedicated professionals including both leadership and staff personnel across finance, marketing, operations and fundraising functions. Their collective passion and expertise have allowed us to implement the next phase of our organizational infrastructure, which is essential for effective fundraising, brand marketing and ongoing operational support—while also enabling us to expand our impact.
New Places
Building off our momentum from the pandemic, we were able to extend our reach in 2022 by further expanding our geographic footprint including in California, Florida, Minnesota, Tennessee and Texas. By increasing our presence and collaborating with local communities and first responder agencies, we’ve provided vital resources, programs and services to ensure no first responder child or family feels alone during challenging times.
2022 In Review
