Our Programs

Count Count On Me Family Foundation's passion is to empower and inspire children in need whether they are medically fragile, economically disadvantaged, or developmentally challenged.

With this in mind, the Foundation has developed individual and unique programs that reach children directly and positively impact their lives. Our flagship program, Count On Me Holiday Shops, has served thousands of deserving children in ten hospitals (and growing!) across the country.

Our Vision:

Count On Me Family Foundation believes that every child deserves to have a voice, no matter their given circumstance.

Our Mission:

Count On Me Family Foundation empowers and inspires the deserving youth of today through impactful programs and community outreach.

Giving The Gift of Gift-Giving

Giving the gift of gift-giving – that is what the Count On Me Holiday Shops are all about.  Now in its’ thirteenth year, this special program has traveled to six states and nine hospitals, all in the spirit of empowering over thousands of children who find themselves hospital-bound during the holidays and providing them the chance to give to those from whom they receive so much.

What are the Count On Me Holiday Shops?

Our Holiday Shops provide children in long-term hospital care the opportunity to go shopping for their parents or care-givers without leaving the hospital during the months of December and May.  Festive pop-up shops are brought to life for a day in select children’s hospitals and young patients browse, select and wrap the gifts they’ve chosen for mom and dad, or grandma and aunt – whomever their adult care-givers might be.  Giant-hearted volunteers spend the day in the shop hosting our shoppers, providing assistance as they choose from a wide selection of gifts and colorful wrapping papers, bows and tags. Individuality and creativity abound as these kiddos wrap and decorate each gift, empowered and equipped to give back to those they love.

For those patients who are unable to leave their hospital room, decorated carts laden with gifts and wrap travel the hospital wings visiting every room possible.

Parents and family members are treated to a respite of holiday cheer and festive snacks in the Family Lounge while their youngsters shop. 

For infants and toddlers too young to go shopping a goodie bag with an appropriate baby blanket or interactive toy is provided, ensuring every child in long-term care to a warm and cheery shopping day.

Holiday Shops Reach Across The Country

The Holiday Shops began in 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia as a service project of the Atlanta Falcon’s Wives Association. The next year, the program was moved under the umbrella of the Count On Me Family Foundation when it was founded and has continued since. What began with the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta at Egleston expanded to two Children’s Hospital’s in Atlanta, two in Seattle, and two in Los Angeles by 2013. In 2015, we added hospitals in Phoenix and New Orleans with plans to continue to expand for years to come.

Holiday Shop Funding

Count On Me raises funds to support the Holiday Shops through various events and campaigns throughout the year.  In Los Angeles, we continue a tradition dating back to the early years of Count On Me – Girls Night Out – held in Manhattan Beach every November.  This wildly successful evening sells out weeks in advance and is a great evening of fun and FUNdraising.  We also participate in #GivingTuesday, an effort that supports all our Holiday Shops.

If you are interested in how you can sponsor or support this program, please let us know.  We’d love to talk with you! For more information about the Holiday Shop Program, download our Program Guide!

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or making a donation to our holiday shops, please CONTACT US!

Art Inspiration 2019 brought a creative group of young men and women from the Metro Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club Watts-Willowbrook Clubhouse together with world-renowned artist Lionel Milton for an exciting, immersive mural art experience.

The week-long project began with a workshop led by Milton intended to encourage the young artists to dream and create. They discussed their own ambitions, their community, and their hopes for the world, then put those thoughts onto sketch paper through a creative brainstorming session.

Following the workshop, Milton studied each artist’s creations to find central themes and used the club members’ artwork to create the rendering of a mural they would bring to life on an outside wall of the clubhouse.

For the rest of the week, Milton worked with the club members to outline and paint their work on the 21ft by 8ft wall. The group of hardworking teens and pre-teens followed Milton’s lead, using bright colors to fully conceptualize their vision and represent their dreams.

Now their vision is on display for everyone to see, encouraging other club members to hope, dream, and create.

Past Programs

Bus 2 The Bowl

The Bus 2 The Bowl Program was launched in April of 2014 in alignment with the Foundation's mission of supporting and enriching the lives of children in need and at risk.

Bus 2 the Bowl provided kids, ages 7-13, from the greater Los Angeles area the chance to experience the thrill of "going to the game" at the historic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. Count On Me and program sponsors and donors  provide the busses, tailgate meal, general admission into the UCLA football game as well as a T-shirt, other snacks and goodies for the ride home.

Thanks to our very generous sponsors, the Bruin Report Online, the Nick Pasquale Foundation, Mariner Wealth Advisors, Neil & Marylyn Warren, Craig & Stacy Bloom, and the Bruin Fan Alliance, 2015 was a great success as we brought 27 buses of kids from 25 children’s organizations and schools to the Rose Bowl for five UCLA home football games.

California Pizza Kitchen, AQUAHydrate, KIND Bars and Melissa’s Produce supported the program with meals, beverages and snacks. Our teenage volunteers from several local high school football programs were awesome and participated at every single game from organizing product before game day through the set up, operation and strike at our tailgate location at the Rose Bowl. This program would not be possible without the generosity of UCLA Athletics Department, which made tickets available to Count On Me for every game.

Click below to see some of the fun we had at the 2015 Bus 2 The Bowl!

YES! Programs

Youth, Education, Safety!

Count On Me Family Foundation developed YES! Programs - Youth, Education, Safety as a platform for events and clinics that focus on the education of socioeconomically disadvantaged youth in the communities we serve. The ultimate goal of YES! is to enrich disadvantaged youth in all aspects of life from academics to arts to athletics. Currently, the Count On Me Youth Football Extravaganza served as an anchor program under the umbrella of YES! and incorporated safety, teamwork and life skills into a fun-filled football clinic for elementary and middle school age children.

Count On Me Tailgates 

Count On Me Tailgate Parties are celebrations during both the college and professional football seasons that bring young patients out of their rooms to gather together and watch games with friends and families at our partnering children's hospitals. For kids that can't experience football in person, the Count On Me Tailgates bring the game to them so they can have fun cheering on their local teams! It's a great experience for patients, their families, and hospital staff to enjoy a game, snacks, and arts and crafts! We look forward to cheering on our teams in the coming seasons.

As the 2013 UCLA football season got underway, Count On Me Family Foundation hosted its inaugural Tailgate Party for patients and their families at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA. Gathering rooms were transformed into cheering sections where patients can root for the favorite team, which of course was UCLA! 

Arts and crafts were also available for patients, adding even more fun to the afternoon. 

Count On Me Tailgates have been a special way to spread cheer and allow patients and their families a break from their daily routine.