Every October, greeting card aisles throughout the Midwest are filled with colorful messages about Sweetest Day – a holiday about showing special attention to loved ones, especially your sweetheart. However, did you know that the origins of Sweetest Day tell a different story; a story focused on children facing adversity? Join our Sweetest Day Call to Action by learning about the history of this special holiday and dedicating yourself to supporting children in foster care.
Sweetest Day Originated to Support Children in Need
Herbert Birch Kingston, a philanthropist and candy company employee from Ohio, wanted to create a special day where children in adverse situations received special care and acknowledgment. He recognized that children in group homes and those homebound by illness did not always receive the attention and treatment given to other youth.
On the third Saturday in October, 1922, Kingston began to distribute candy and small gifts to these children with the help of his friends. He garnered support from local and national celebrities and successfully managed to provide more than 10,000 treats and toys to children in need.
While Sweetest Day is now celebrated primarily by partners and significant others in the Midwest, we ask you to remember the origins of the holiday this year and consider paying special tribute to the memory of Herbert Birch Kingston by helping One Family Illinois continue to make a positive difference in the lives of children in foster care.
How You Can Get Involved This Year for Sweetest Day
Consider Becoming a Full-Time Foster Parent
At One Family Illinois, we train and employ full-time Foster Parents that care for up to six siblings in a single-family home in one of our three Village communities. Like Herbert Birch Kingston, our Foster Parents believe that children in adverse situations deserve love and support.
What better way to put your passion for children and your heart for mission to good use this Sweetest Day than by sharing this unique parenting opportunity with someone you love?
If you or someone you know would like to become a Foster Parent and are interested in seeing if you’d be a good fit in the One Family Illinois family, let us know
by filling out this form. You may also contact our Director of Recruitment at 312-372-8200.
Keep the Sweetness Coming Through Monthly Giving
Whether you are learning about One Family Illinois for the first time or are a decade-long donor, consider joining our monthly giving program, Dream Makers, in honor of Sweetest Day. As a Dream Maker, your automatic monthly gifts help provide the sustained resources needed to assist the youth in our care as they grow in three key areas:
- Educational Development
- Health and Wellness
- Cultural Enrichment
Your monthly Dream Maker contribution is the easiest and most efficient way to support children in foster care at One Family Illinois. “Treats” of all sizes make a profound difference in the opportunities we are able to provide to the children and families in our community. You can easily start now as part of our Sweetest Day Call to Action!
Share the Story of Sweetest Day and One Family Illinois
Looking for even more ways to support our Sweetest Day Call to Action? Subscribe to our e-newsletter and share our posts on social media! It’s simple. It’s cost-free. And it helps us spread the word about the mission here at One Family Illinois.
Each time you share our posts on social media, you’re helping us reach outside of our networks and into the hearts of those around the world. In honor of our Sweetest Day Call to Action, we invite you to engage with us on our various social media platforms and invite your loved ones to do the same!
Sharing small gifts and tokens of kindness on Sweetest Day remind our loved ones that they hold a unique place in the world. This Sweetest Day, honor the origins of the holiday by offering the same sweet sentiments to children in foster care. Your love and support for them creates a lasting impression that will extend far beyond a single day in the year.