Children At Risk Resources Foundation, Inc., (CARR Foundation, Inc.), was established in 2004 as a non-profit. Their primary endeavors were based upon educating the general public specifically children about Diabetes Type 2. They were awarded state recognition and many grants to provide health fairs, grammar school presentations as well as creating a Diabetes Type 2 Board Game and Diabetes Type 2 Bingo Game. They were dissolved in 2020 enabling them to enlarge and spread out by restructuring their corporate status.
CARR 4 Kids, Inc., a profit corporation, was established in 2008 and reinstated in 2020. It has increased to cover a variety of subject matters using the same innovation, creativity and integrity as CARR Foundation, Inc. Click on Store and partake in the fun we have produced in providing educational tools to promote smart choices for a healthier life style. We also have two other websites: www.carr4health.com and www.gingesgallary.com (original artwork and published books).
CARR's MISSION
To empower kids to make
smart choices
for a healthier lifestyle.
CARR's MOTTO
We do not think inside of the box.
We do not think outside of the box.
We reshape the box.
CARR 4 Kids, Inc. strives to educate youth about healthy, behavioral and coping issues by providing imaginative guidelines to make smart choices. CARR's approach is focused on prevention and intervention, highlighting mentoring.
CARR uses whimsical characters and innovative concepts to encourage the child to build self-confidence and make the most of the learning tools presented. CARR is a bridge that transfers established, accredited data into practical application that children can comprehend and utilize.
CARR makes learning fun and invites the child to use their own imagination and curiosity!
Established to create innovative materials on health and behavioral issues using accelerated educational data, our products such as coloring books, music CDs, narrative DVDs, and board games are developed from extensive research. Everyday our youth face issues from bullying to self esteem to health challenges.
CARR is a strong believer in mentoring and we offer mentor ship materials for parents and teachers designed to increase learning and engagement.
Field Testing of our materials has occurred at eight independent sites that tutor over 1,500 children. Their feedback was key to the development of our products. 16% increase in Diabetes Type 2 knowledge was shown in Pre and post testing results.
At the last community event we co-hosted, we saw a lot of the 550 participants pick up viable, beautifully illustrated and informative information, thumb threw all of the informative pages,then put the material down and walked away. Upon questioning them, they said there was too much information and it became complicated for them. That is the primary reason we created the “My First Steps Series” to promote easy comprehension and encourage ownership.
This not only gave us the opportunity to meet a need, but to expand our market audience. That being young and old alike. A portion of all of our sales is contributed to provide our educational materials to the underserved children in various communities.
History of CARR
Community Partner with the California Diabetes Program.
This partnership allowed CARR Foundation, Inc., access to all the latest documented data regarding findings, research and publications regarding diabetes and its corresponding problems. The mission of the California Diabetes Program is to prevent diabetes and its complications in California’s diverse communities. They have a partnership with the California Department of Public Health and the University of California, San Francisco, funded primarily by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Guided by national and state goals as well as community input, the program is a coordinating leader for hundreds of multi-sector partners at the individual, community, health care, policy and environmental issues.
Kidsdata.org is a program of Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. The data on kidsdata.org are compiled from more than 35 trusted public sources. The source for each indicator is provided below the tables/graphs on every data page. The Population Reference Bureau for the foundation compiles most of the data. The California Healthy Kids Survey data are provided through a partnership with WestEd and the California Department of Education.
CARR has a Certified Diabetic Educator on their Board as well as a Board Certified Psychologist. A Health Educator who is the Executive Director of the Community Medical Centers Board of Directors and the Executive Director of the San Joaquin Food Bank and Family Services is also a CARR Board member. CARR has direct access to a Healthy Lifestyles Coordinator.
CARR has sponsored three health fairs and two workshops. Pre-post testing was performed at the bilingual Diabetes/Obesity Workshops and had results of 83% increased knowledge. The workshops were headed by bilingual Diabetic Health Educators, which included diagrams, question and answer opportunities, individual consulting and a PowerPoint® bilingual presentation.
During the 2007-2008 school year, Give Every Child a Chance used CARR Foundation, Inc., materials in their Health Education Program. Eight sites participated in the Diabetes Type 2 education program. Each site had 80-120 students participating. The total average increase in knowledge of Diabetes Type 2 is 16%.
CARR has been recognized by Maria Shriver, former First Lady of California, for their innovative inventiveness and creative accomplishment. They have also received certificates of recognition and appreciation from the Directors Office, California Department of Public Services, Diabetes Educators, St. Joseph Medical Center and Diabetes Community Services of Stanislaus County, Kaiser Permanente Awards Certificate, San Joaquin Board of Supervisors, California State Legislature and the Tracy Women’s Forum Association.
Tommie's Legacy
“Why is my daddy always mad at me?”, my Godson, Tommie asked. I felt myself suspended in time, my mind racing to put all the pieces in perspective to answer his question as honest and straight forwardly as it had been asked. How do you tell a six year old that he is going to die? How much does he know? Was the leukemia explained? Where do I begin? What do I say? All I knew was that he was in great pain and my heart was shrinking into utter despair. I decided to follow Tommie’s lead. I started by reassuring him that his daddy was not mad at him. That Tommie had done nothing wrong. His dad’s anger was at everything and everyone. He was mad because he could fix just about anything, but he couldn’t fix the one thing that meant the most to him…and that was his precious son. He was a strong, powerful and a gentle man and the fact he was going to lose the very essence of his life, brought him to his knees helpless, beaten. He was lashing out because his pain was so bottomless and cutting. Tommy seemed to understand. I had bent down to answer his question so our eyes would meet. His unwavering stare burrowed into my mind, probing, searching to find truth. He softly said: “When I die, will you take care of my daddy for me?”
I decided to make Tommie a book and I entitled it: “Color Me Well!”. It had activities and educational information on his disease, how it affected his immune system, etc. All the characters lived in Hope Beardom ruled by King Edward Bear and Sir John the Good Knight. It also included some things that would help him understand and cope with procedures and others around him. As an after thought, I added a large envelope with the title of”Feelings!” written on the outside and told Tommie to put his deepest thoughts and feelings into it. He could share those feelings or keep them a secret. It would be his choice. He glowed at the prospect of having an option. The probability allowed him a source of power. He asked me if I would write books for other kids, too. Two years later, on his sister’s birthday, Tommie died. I still have the original book. To this day, I have not opened the enclosed envelope with the word “My” boldly printed by his hand over the original word “Feelings!”
The end product and reward for all his suffering and sacrifices made to overcome his fears is the foundation for CARR’s innovative concepts and whimsical creations regarding health and behavioral issues. It is the primary desire of wanting to provide educational materials that promote empowering children to make smart choices for a healthier lifestyle. It is also an avenue that provides an opportunity for kids to take ownership through having fun in obtaining knowledge. On a very personal note, it is an avenue to which to pass on a legacy for a tough little guy with an unconquerable spirit.
Please help us to help children to help themselves. Please help us broaden their horizons. Please help in keeping Tommie’s legacy alive. Thank you.
