Dreams for Kids

Dreams for Kids is a non-profit, charitable organization founded in 1989.The organization empowers at-risk youth and those with disabilities through a variety of programs.
Mission
The Dreams for Kids mission: "Dreams for Kids replaces charity with opportunity for at-risk youth through service, leadership, and social activities that inspire them to fearlessly pursue their dreams and compassionately change the world."
History
Dreams for Kids was founded by Tom Tuohy of Chicago at the request of his mother, Patricia Tuohy, a single parent.
The organization began its community outreach work on December 24, 1989 in Clara's House, a homeless shelter house in the South Side, Chicago neighborhood of Englewood, where 43% of its residents lived below the poverty level.
On Christmas Eve, a dozen volunteers visited Clara’s House with Mr. Tuohy and delivered gifts and food to the 54 children living in the shelter. This began the organizations commitment to homeless youth. The first event grew every year to become Holiday for Hope, and each December the organization welcomes over 1,000 Illinois children of all faith. The event is hosted by groups in several United States cities and in 30 countries around the world.
In 2000, Dreams for Kids expanded its mission to include youth with disabilities and, with a grant from the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League, created an adaptive sports program, which the youth named Extreme Recess. Chicago Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz and Blackhawks Charities later established a major, wide ranging partnership with Dreams for Kids to participate in its 20th Anniversary and assist in expanding Dreams for Kids programming across North America.
In 2007, influenced by Jesse White, an early mentor of Mr.Tuohy, long time community leader, Illinois Secretary of State, and the founder of the 50 year Jesse White Tumbling Team, the organization began focusing on youth empowerment rather than charity outreach as its primary objective. This led to the development of the Dreams Leaders program, designed to engage and empower youth of poverty and disability.
The biographies of Jesse White and Clara Kirk and their influence on Dreams for Kids, and the organizations history and documented stories, were featured in a book authored in 2006 by Mr. Tuohy, Kiss of a Dolphin. The book was updated and republished in May 2010, under the title of Dreams for Kids, Changing the World...One Person at a Time.
In early 2009, Dreams for Kids opened a United States East Coast chapter of the organization in Washington D.C.
On March 11, 2011 Dreams for Kids and founder Tom Tuohy were invited to the White House to participate in a ceremony hosted by the President of the United States Barack Obama honoring the Chicago Blackhawks for their Stanley Cup championship and to play field hockey on the South Lawn to promote the campaign of the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama.
In October, 2012 Dreams for Kids founder Tom Tuohy was featured along with Jesse White by American Family Insurance in its Dream Chasers program.
In May, 2013 Dreams for Kids was featured with founder Tom Tuohy in Chicago Lawyer Magazine
Programs
Holiday for Hope
Holiday for Hope is a global holiday event designed to celebrate and empower homeless and at-risk youth during the month of December each year.
The event is hosted in cities and village around the world and supported by individuals, businesses, and social service groups in each community.

In 2010, National Hockey League Chicago Blackhawks all-star and 2010 Winter Olympics medalist, Patrick Kane personally adopted the Dreams for Kids Holiday for Hope mission and launched its toy drive at Sears Tower.
In each Holiday for Hope event, the youths who are guests are encouraged to pay it forward by serving their community in the following days.
Extreme Recess
Extreme Recess provides children with disabilities the opportunity to participate in adaptive sports, often for the very first time. Adaptive sporting events from snow skiing, water-skiing to biking, kayaking, deep sea diving, track and field, rock climbing, bocce ball, and sailing, baseball, and martial arts reinforce each child's positive belief in their own abilities, increases confidence and self-esteem, and also helps to improve respiratory capacity, circulation, heart rate, muscle tone, and, consequently, their quality of life.
Adaptive sports provide community integration, high life satisfaction, and true empowerment for those living with a disability.
Dream Leaders
Dream Leaders provides empowerment to at-risk youth, those who live in severe poverty and those with disabilities, by giving them opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others.
The purpose of the program is to break down the social barriers of segregation, provide leadership opportunities to an isolated population, and bring diverse youth together and engage them as active members of their local and global communities.
The program was recognized by the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management KIN Global as its featured, innovative nonprofit of 2010.

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