For Good: Family-friendly event brings awareness to needs of Third World countries

A child-centric event in Tampa focuses on helping less fortunate children around the world.

The second-annual Kids Helping Kids event has plenty of activities for children and families, but with a larger purpose. Sponsored by Village Partners International, a nonprofit group that completes medical mission trips to Haiti and Africa, as well as local outreach to Beth-El Farmwork Ministry in Wimauma, the focus is on giving back.

“Our mission is to help people help themselves,” says Surgeon and Philanthropist Sylvia Campbell, Founder of Village Partners International. “At the same time, we want to educate children of the community on people in Third World countries. We feel it is important that the younger generation understand the needs of children in other places.”

To execute their mission, Campbell explains that this year's event will feature fun activity stations that represent different countries around the world.

“We will have a station where children can learn to roll necklaces, balance water jugs, put medical bags together, in addition to face painting, hula hoops, rock painting and many more fun activities,” she says.

The event will take place on July 16th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Water Works Park, 1710 N Highland Ave., on the Tampa Riverwalk near downtown Tampa. Admission is free, however, donations are encouraged.

“We are in need of children's vitamins, not the gummy candy variety, as younger children tend to eat these in excess,” Campbell says. “We are also in need of closed-toed shoes for children who work in the fields, all sizes welcome.”

For more information and details on the Kids Helping Kids event on July 16, click here.  
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Kimberly Patterson is a news editor for 83 Degrees Media in the Tampa Bay region of Florida.