KIDS Community PROGRAMS
2025 Programs
Partnering for Health
KIDS Community is supporting the American Heart Association through its Cour Vitae Society and Teen of Impact Program to raise awareness of the benefits of fitness and heart health and bring CPR training to youth in the community via access to training material and fitness, health and wellness opportunities.
JUST PLAY!
JUST PLAY! is about getting every kid in the game—whether for the joy of participation or the pursuit of excellence. Through research, collaboration, and innovative program design, K.I.D.S. Community is reimagining how youth sports can balance access, inclusion, and competitiveness. By engaging schools, families, and community leaders, JUST PLAY! works to build sustainable pathways for play, wellness, and lifelong leadership through sport.
Nutrition and Food Security
KIDS Community continues to work to address food insecurity in our local community via food drives in collaboration with local partners and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC. In 2024 we will explore opportunities to provide support for summer lunch programs. Contact us if you want to partner to help with this initiative!
Dare to Lead
KIDS Community Dare to Lead is an empowering program that nurtures the leadership potential within our youth by providing a platform for them to make a meaningful impact in their communities. This initiative focuses on cultivating leadership skills through hands-on experiences in community service and engagement, where young leaders are not just participants but architects of positive change, as they design and implement projects that address local needs. Collectively, this program encourages a culture where youth not only dare to lead but also inspire their peers to join in, creating a ripple effect of enthusiasm and civic responsibility.
2020 - 202 Programs
JUST PLAY! Community-based Youth Sports Initiative
K.I.D.S. Community, Inc. is excited to announce the launch of a research and community action program designed to assess the current state of community-based youth sports in an era of expanding club programs and increasing professionalization of youth athletics. This initiative explores how declining access to sports opportunities affects the health, wellness, and social development of young people, and seeks to identify strategies to restore balance, equity, and opportunity in the youth sports landscape.
Over the past two decades, youth sports have not only become less accessible, but also less connected to their original purpose as community-building and character-developing experiences. Rising costs, reduced neighborhood programming, and a narrowing focus on elite competition have limited participation, while many young people have also lost interest or understanding of how sports contribute to lifelong health, teamwork, and personal growth. This shift affects both physical wellbeing and the broader social, emotional, and academic development of young people.
In alignment with the Aspen Institute’s Project Play 63/30 framework, which calls for increasing youth sports participation to at least 63% while preserving 30% of free play time, K.I.D.S. Community is developing a model that links youth sports to education, science, and innovation. Working with schools, universities, and local partners, the program will integrate STEM and data-driven learning into youth athletics—connecting sports performance, health analytics, and community infrastructure to hands-on educational experiences. By combining research, experiential learning, and collaborative partnerships, K.I.D.S. Community aims to create sustainable pathways for expanded access, renewed interest, and community-driven innovation in youth sports.
CLICK HERE for more information about the JUST PLAY! program development.
Nutrition & Food Security
Food insecurity, a pressing global challenge, touches the lives of millions, depriving them of access to sufficient, nutritious food. This complex issue transcends geographical boundaries, affecting both developed and developing nations. Rooted in various factors such as poverty, conflict, climate change, and economic instability, food insecurity manifests as chronic hunger, malnutrition, and a lack of essential nutrients.
The impact of food insecurity is profound, undermining the health, well-being, and productivity of individuals and communities.. Addressing food insecurity requires comprehensive and localized strategies that consider the unique socio-economic, cultural, and environmental factors of each region. In collaboration with members of our local community, KCI has developed a portfolio of activities to address local food insecurity. LEARN MORE
Return to School Partnership
Who says we can't be opportunistic in our approach to serving the our community? Partnerships are the power behind supporting local communities. In Spring 2021, as local school systems were deciding to return to school after a year of virtual learning due to the pandemic, KIDS Community was approached by a local pharmaceutical company about partnering to supply schools and teachers with supplies. As the company was in the midst of moving their offices, they identified supplies and equipment that they would not move to their new location. Their offer was to make the supplies available for KIDS Community to collect, store and distribute to the local community. Over a period of 9 months, in partnership with UCB Pharma and NC Elite Volleyball Club, KIDS Community collected, stored and distributed over $75,000 in new supplies and equipment, including helping to supply a new school in the area with startup supplies for their teachers. KIDS Community is always open to new partnerships that can help serve the local community! CONTACT US
