PROGRAMS
Wesley Fluellen Basketball Camp:
Wesley Fluellen is a former NBA player. Every summer, Children Matter® partners with his organization to run a free basketball camp for children in 2nd – 6th grade. We host this camp because we know that many children don’t have the financial resources to pay for a basketball camp of any kind. It gives these children an opportunity to exercise and learn the basics of basketball.
PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support) and E-Crew
Every year, Children Matter® partners with underserved middle schools to help with their quarterly PBIS Program (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support). PBIS is a broad range of systemic and individualized strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes in school communities while preventing problem behavior. The key attributes of PBIS include preventive activities, data-based decision making, and a problem solving orientation (Horner, 2000; Lewis & Sugai, 1999; Sugai et.al., 2000; Weigle, 1997).
We also partner with middle schools to help foster leadership development, community service, and an overall example of what it means to be a productive member of our society through a program called E-Crew. Each week students learn the basics of leadership from entrepreneurs and business leaders all over the country. The leaders (both civic and community) work along side students demonstrating what it means to be a leader both in and out of the classroom.
SummerFest
Many children live at or below the federal poverty line. Therefore, many parents, especially single mothers, do not have the financial resources to relax and have fun with their children without financial pressure. Nor do they have the resources to prepare their kids to go back to school. Each August, Children Matter® does an event called “SummerFest” that provides parents and children a time to simply come and enjoy themselves as a family with no financial pressure. This is a great day for children because we provide free food, inflatables, face paint, games, as well as characters like: Mickey Mouse, Elmo, Batman, Cookie Monster, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Captain Jack, and more. We also provide free backpacks, school supplies, as well as clothes and shoes for children who need them. This event has been featured on WKYC and WEWS Cleveland.
XLR8
Each year, Children Matter® partners with different school systems to provide educational opportunities for parents on the dangers of social media and bullying. For these events, we work with city and county prosecutors who send instructors to educate parents on how to keep their students from falling into the traps of sexting, bullying, and social media.
Pictures with Santa
At Children Matter® we know that many kids could never afford to go to the mall at Christmas and get their picture taken with Santa. So each December, we provide an opportunity for parents to bring their kids and get their picture taken with Santa for free. At this event there are cookie decorating stations, pictures to color, hot dogs, hot chocolate, coffee and the line to sit on Santa’s lap is usually out the door.