Community Comes Together for Kindness

December 15, 2016December 15, 2016 Leigh Ann ErricoLeave a comment

It was a magical evening in Warren, New Jersey, as Wear the Cape and the kidkind Foundation hosted its fourth annual holiday fundraiser. What Founder Leigh Ann Errico started as a Christmas cookie exchange in a small dorm room over 20 years ago with only a handful of friends has evolved into a spectacular night every year, with almost 100 women and children gathering to support and celebrate the works of Wear the Cape and the kidkind Foundation.

Some of the original attendees joined the event this evening, including Cynthia Caramico, who gave a passionate testimonial on Wear the Cape’s elementary school Hero Assembly. The program reached thousands of kids this year through over 30 performances since its launch less than a year ago. Guests got a taste of the interactive assembly by watching a highlight video featuring real kids who acted in the assembly to spread kindness and encouragement in the fight against bullying. All were inspired and agreed that the program’s focus on courage and kindness, delivered through relatable messages, is a must for all schools.

Over 20 young children, ranging in age from four to 16, volunteered to help at the event. These Cape Kids greeted guests with big smiles and huge hearts, as they collected toy donations for underprivileged children via New Jersey Children’s Shelter of Trenton, and much needed supplies for our troops overseas via Operation NJ Cares. YLP Parking of Kenilworth, New Jersey donated their valet fee, as a way to honor all veterans and “pay it forward.”

Coming together to toast to kindness and commemorate the achievements of the past year was a highlight of the evening. In addition to launching and performing Hero Assemblies, a number of which were donated, these accomplishments include being chosen to present at the NJASEC Convention at Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ; developing Cape South, a branch of Wear the Cape assemblies in Florida; and the creation of its first children’s book, titled IT’S GOOD TO BE KINGD, which kidkind Foundation will be donating to underprivileged kindergarten classrooms and Wear the Cape will be selling starting at the beginning of 2017.

Adorable Cape Kids modeled Wear the Cape’s newest merchandise: the cozy, embroidered Wear the Cape Hero Hat – White Winter Edition and the Cup of Kindness Mug, which joined the long list of Better Than That™ items, such as lip balm, T-shirts, baseball caps, and even beach balls!

Madame Hollis provided guests with kindness fortune readings on the lower level of the event, while the talented Will Honicky, a high school student from Morris Plains, and Chris Waryn of Watchung entertained guests with their beautiful melodies on the piano.

It was an evening of sheer enjoyment. And when the night came to an end, guests left with dozens of cookies to share in their own homes for the holidays.

After 20 years, the cookie swap tradition continues – only now guests are exchanging more than cookies. They share kindness, generosity, goodwill, and hope for a brighter, kinder world, for their families and children around the world.

For more information on how to donate to the kidkind Foundation, bring a Hero Assembly to a school near you, or purchase IT’S GOOD TO BE KINGD for a child in your life or for kids in need, please email leighann@wearthecapekids.com.

Wear the Cape’s Anti-Bullying Assembly Takes Flight at Gill St. Bernard’s School

April 6, 2016April 6, 2016 Leigh Ann ErricoLeave a comment

Today, Wear the Cape’s “How to Be a Hero” assembly circuit took flight! The team visited Gill St. Bernard’s school in Gladstone, NJ to show approximately 200 students in the Lower School how they can embody heroic character and tactics they can use to stand up against bullying effectively. Fun was flying high, and Wear the Cape could not have asked for a more respectful, attentive, COOL audience.

Wear the Cape’s teacher facilitators Christina Mancino and Colleen Grundfest led the interactive presentation to equip the heroes-in-training with strategies and skills to be positive forces within their communities and to be BETTER THAN THAT™ – better than bad choices including bullying. In addition to live facilitation and student participation, the assembly showcased a relatable sequence of videos demonstrating anti-bullying tactics in practice.

In the assembly video, real kids share their unique perspectives on tough social situations often faced by the younger generation. With the help of their stories, children in the assembly audience were able to identify and make connections to challenges that they face with their own peers. “Do what’s right, not what’s easy” was one of the takeaway lessons.

Today’s assembly was a particularly noteworthy presentation, in part because many of the actors in the film are also Gill St. Bernard’s students. Campbell and Regan Macak, as well as Samantha, Thomas, Charlotte, and Nicolas Errico, are Gill Knights who poured their hearts into filming and sacrificed summer days to help spread the message, near and far, that it’s cool to be kind.

Leigh Ann Errico, the founder and CEO of kidkind foundation and Wear the Cape, is also a proud Gill St. Bernard’s mom. She donated all fees and expenses associated with hosting the assembly to the school where her children are being educated. Errico, an experienced leadership coach, built Wear the Cape and established the kidkind foundation in 2013 when she identified the need for resources on kindness and character-building that would appeal to her own four children. The idea for the brand was sparked when she observed that the chance to wear a cape – the organization’s logo – motivates children to act like heroes, or “Cape Kids,” in order to live up to the symbol of honor.

“Gill is home to a special group of students who are passionate about life and care about others,” Errico commented. “These young people are strong vessels, capable of carrying kindness into their communities. It is my hope that the assembly shows kids new ways to help those who need it most, when they need it most.”

The kidkind foundation will also be donating the assembly to five underprivileged elementary schools in New Jersey for free.

Coming later in 2016: Wear the Cape’s picture book for children! Stay tuned.

To inquire about bringing Wear the Cape’s “How to Be a Hero” assembly to a school near you and/or to help us spread the word, please send an email to leighann@wearthecapekids.com. Below, watch the video trailer for a sneak peek at what Wear the Cape’s assembly offers the elementary school age group:

The Best Is Yet to Come

December 22, 2015December 21, 2015 Leigh Ann ErricoLeave a comment

“A great accomplishment shouldn’t be the end of the road, just the starting point for the next leap forward.” –Harvey Mackay

I find it rather fitting that I stumbled upon the above quote as I was reflecting on the work that’s been done via the kidkind foundation in 2015. Many of the projects on which we have been focused this past year are, in fact, foundational for kidkind’s “next leap forward.”

We’ve had a busy year at the kidkind foundation, and the fruits of our labor are now in sight. Setting our goals high, we tackled major projects that will truly move the needle on restoring the power of kindness and heroic character. Some 2015 highlights include:

School Assembly: A team of talented educators, in coordination with Wear the Cape character education expert Dr. Philip Brown, created a stellar anti-bullying assembly for elementary schools, which includes a video with Cape Kids and Junior Board Members displaying the strategies and skills needed to be BETTER THAN THAT™. For further information on how to bring the assembly to a school near you, starting in January 2016, contact me at leighann@wearthecape.com.
Children’s Book: Hard work during 2015 writing and illustrating our first children’s book will come to fruition in 2016, as we are now in the final stages of publishing. Expect a fun-filled story that engages young kids with magical details and vibrant illustrations to convey that it’s better to be a hero than a bully. We promise not to disappoint.
Holiday Fundraiser: Late last month, Wear the Cape brought together kids and adults for its third annual holiday event promoting kindness and giving to those in need. Over 20 Cape Kids volunteered their time to collect the thousands of dollars in supplies that were donated for American troops overseas and the hundreds of toys, such as Barbies and Legos, which warmed hearts at the NJ Children’s Shelter. The fundraiser also raised over $8,000 for kidkind to continue teaching children about the importance of doing good in 2016!
Raising Awareness: Wear the Cape’s resident character education expert Dr. Philip Brown produced valuable educational materials provided to parents for free to help them understand how best to raise Cape Kids of good character. Examples include:
New Gear that Spreads the Message: Due to popular demand, Wear the Cape has added new merchandise to our Hero Collection. Check out the Hero Hat (Winter Edition), Keepin’ It Kind Tee (Long Sleeve), and Powerful Pucker Lip Moisturizer in our shop!

I am so proud of all the Cape Kids who have helped further the mission of restoring the power of kindness and heroic character and am so grateful for the love and support of my dear friends and family, who give me the courage and grace to live each day a little kinder than the last.

Together, let’s strive to make 2016 even better than 2015!

Choose kind,
Leigh Ann