Back to Champions for Children awards programs overview

In March, 2005, The HSC Pediatric Center held its first meeting of the Family Advisory Council (FAC). The Chair of the Council is Ms. Kimberly Smith, the mother of Carissa, an outpatient at the Center. Kim is a tireless supporter of the Center and an advocate for families who have children with special needs. In addition to her role as Chair of the FAC, she participated in staff training last year on the concepts of family-centered care. She also gave a presentation with the Center’s Chief Medical Officer at the annual Accessibility Conference in Northern Virginia.

She has organized other members of the Family Advisory Council to host coffee hours for parents on weekends. As if that were not enough, Kim is mother to another daughter, Danica, and she home schools both girls while studying to become a paralegal. She always has a smile and is an inspiration to all who know her. She is truly a "Champion for Children".

Toni Fisher currently works at the Georgetown University Child and Human Development Center. Toni has worked with Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Inc.’s support groups for many years. She has provided a substantial amount of personal support to our members as well as valuable insight on disability legislation. Toni has assisted with the skill building process of our support groups in areas such as advocacy training, capacity building, peer-to-peer strengths and a host of other topics.

She has consistently shared her expertise whenever asked and is a constant resource in childhood development. Toni has also been an integral part of the development and implementation of the DC Family Empowerment Center, which trains and supports family representatives to assume leadership for the Center’s family-led Governing Board. The Governing Board supports families with children or other family members with developmental disabilities to develop and implement Individualized Family Action Plans; and promotes and strengthens a comprehensive system of family-centered and family-directed support services.

The Kids Feeling Fit Foundation, Inc. (KFFF) is a non-profit community-based organization founded in 2001 by a group of Montgomery County, Maryland parents who have learned through personal experience the value of therapeutic exercise for children with developmental, emotional, and educational disabilities. KFFF’s mission is to provide scholarships so that other children whose families cannot afford these services may pursue personalized exercise programs that improve their physical fitness and self-esteem.

KFFF partners with Fitness for Health, recognized for its innovative children’s fitness programs. They have a proven record of helping children of all ages with coordination, self-esteem and weight management issues, gross and fine motor delays, learning disabilities, ADHD/ADD, and other special needs. In the first year of the scholarship program, KFFF will award four scholarships to children whose families cannot afford the professional services and frequent training sessions necessary to build the strength, coordination, and confidence of children with special needs. These children have physical and emotional challenges that place them on the margins of their peer group in terms of participating in recess activities and after school ball games. Through the scholarships, KFFF offers a path to inclusion through improved fitness, sports skills, and self-confidence.

Angie Kiger is a Recreation Therapist and Assistive Technology Specialist at The HSC Pediatric Center. Angie is known for her dedication in her position at the Center, but her reputation for advocacy on behalf of children and teens with disabilities and chronic illness goes beyond her job.

For years, Angie has given of her personal time to volunteer at Camp Funshine. Camp Funshine is a camp for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. It’s free, offered twice a year, and is run primarily by volunteers. The camp provides a variety of outdoor activities and crafts, and allows campers an opportunity to experience a relaxing and fun weekend away from the daily stresses of living with their medical conditions. In addition, Angie puts in a great deal of overtime on the hospital’s annual toy drive that brings happiness to many, many young patients.

With Angie, the kids are her heart and motivation. Recently, she was a driving force in bringing together The HSC Pediatric Center, the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation and the Toys R Us Children’s Fund in a partnership that resulted in two state-of-the-art playroom renovations at the Center.