Hike With Your Heart ’23

Recently, we held our annual Hike with Your Heart event. Since 2015, we’ve gathered at Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area in Los Angeles to enjoy a vigorous hike and fundraise for our  Weekend Miracles program.  As the hiking event continues to grow, our locations – and dates – have expanded. On September 23^rd, Kidsave had hikes in Los Angeles and the Bay Area in Northern California, and on October 7^th two more hikes will be taking place in Chicago and D.C.  With each hike, the purpose is to raise awareness and funds for the work we do helping older kids in foster care find forever families.

On the day of the LA hike, kids, adults – and pets – of all ages met early in the morning to share a light breakfast. This year, breakfast was created and donated by baker extraordinaire, Paz Hernandez. Thanks, Paz! It was a warm and beautiful day, and we were thrilled to have so many kids from our LA Weekend Miracles program and Kidsave families in attendance. We had a fun little surprise at registration for the kids in our Weekend Miracles program. Each one was gifted a snazzy pair of donated HOKA shoes. We’re passionate about our kids’ happiness and want to help them thrive in all areas of life, so it was a pleasure to watch their faces light up as they picked out the sneakers of their choice.

Soon, it was time for the hike. As we ascended, kids’ faces were overcome with joy and wonder as they took in the beautiful sights, breathed the fresh air, and spoke with families. The day’s joy was vibrant when we reached the peak and took our group photo.

As we descended, our stomachs began to grumble…time for lunch. Fortunately, we’d partnered with Jersey Mike’s Subs for the event, and there were some leftover pastries from Paz! A scrumptious feast awaited us back at the park.

The kids spent the rest of the day bonding with each other and with potential adoptive families. After dining on wraps, families played board games or sat on the ground and chit-chatted. As the event drew to a close, attendees may have been physically tired but mentally prepping for our next meetup!

Before leaving, we had a chance to check in with one of our recently adopted Kidsave kids, Massimo. Just last year, Massimo was here with his host family, David and Frances, and this year they were back as an adoptive family, having just finalized this month. We spoke with Massimo about why the hike is important to him and the older kids still in foster care. He said:

“The hike is special to me because, not only is it fun, but I get to socialize with all the kids. And this year’s even more special because I get to do it with my mom and dad.”

D.C. Hike

In addition to our hike in LA, we also had hikes in the Bay Area and the Washington, D.C. area. Our D.C. hike was the last one of the year, and although it was a rainy fall morning, that didn’t stop our Kidsave community! We had over 30 people who donned their boots and raincoats and hiked around Lake Accotnik Park with the brightest smiles despite the weather.

Overall, our hikes are just shy of our $50,000 fundraising goal. You can still help us reach our goal by donating at www.kidsave.org/hike2023! All funds raised will go directly towards our life-changing work helping older kids in foster care find the love and lifelong support they deserve.

About Weekend Miracles

Many wonderful kids in our Weekend Miracles program need a mentor, host, or adoptive family. These older kids in foster care are growing up without the stability and love that all kids need to thrive. If you want to adopt or host an older child, please contact us.

We’re happy to answer any questions and help you get started. Email us at weekendmiracles@kidsave.org to learn more. Kidsave’s Weekend Miracles program is available to Los Angeles, CA or Houston, TX residents.