What do dinosaurs, giant robots, The Simpsons, and Scooby-Doo have in common? They all made an appearance when Camp Connect visited Universal Studios Hollywood!

49 siblings and 20 volunteers spent the day getting lost in some of the most memorable movies imaginable. Before we even boarded the bus, goodie bags were handed, with a Jurassic park Dino hand puppet, Golden Snitch fidget spinner, and Super Mario glasses to get in the Hollywood spirit.

From Minion Land, to Jurassic World, to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, to Super Nintendo World, and more, there was something to light up every face. Each child could buy their own gift. Many of them went right for treats like cotton candy or rock candy. Others took their chances on carnival games for the chance to win prizes (and they did!). While some took it as an opportunity to purchase a souvenir to remember the day.

A big thank you to the 20 volunteers who gave their entire day to helping create special memories for these children. Volunteers are needed for our upcoming Camp Connect Summer Camp! Visit the link in our bio to learn more.

It is always humbling to to work with young people who harness their story to speak for and better the lives of others.

The County recently held The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) Symposium, aimed at providing information, resources, and services for all kinship caregivers. The symposium was designed to create better and more successful dialog and conditions for those on both sides of this caregiving relationship.

As part of the program, three Guardian Scholars, Daniel, Gabrielle, and Zane, all of whom lived in this kind of care, spoke of their experience. They told their story, their successes, and opened up on some areas in they wish they themselves and their caregivers could have been supported.

We are proud of Daniel, Gabrielle, and Zane for taking their first steps into advocacy and creating positive change for those still in care and their caregivers. Well done!

No one is born with the skill of networking. What do you say? What do you ask? What are you looking for? What do you offer? The answers to these questions come from time and practice.

To that end, Men’s and Women’s Leadership Networks held a joint networking event, welcoming mentors from both groups for an evening of round-robin networking.

Guardian Scholars practiced introducing themselves and speaking about their interests and ambitions, while listening and learning about the various career fields and paths the mentors brought to the table. This was also a chance for Guardian Scholars and mentors alike to get to know members of the other side of this group, and further expand their own personal and professional networks.

It’s always inspiring to witness Guardian Scholars grow into themselves as they confront their anxieties, hone their skills, and see their own future come into focus.

Volunteer, @heey_zammie spoke with @CBS8 ‘s @eric.kahnert about our need for volunteers as we begin ramping up for Camp Connect Summer Camp 2024!

The camp is Aug 1-6, so please check your calendars now! Shifts are a minimum of 24 hours, so if you can’t stay the whole week, we’d still love for you to take part. Any volunteers aged 21 and up are welcome, but we especially need male volunteers to help us fill out a balanced team.

Camp takes place in the mountains just north of San Diego, offering horseback riding, zip-lining, games, music, and so much more! Help create life-long memories for San Diego’s foster children. If you’re looking for a great way to give back, helping create a safe, supervised, and fun camp for foster children is the way to go!

We can’t do it without the help of the San Diego community! Visit Promises2Kids.org/Volunteer to learn more.