Want to hear something shocking? There are over 1,900 kids in foster care in Fresno County, due to abuse, abandonment or neglect. That is basically the size of the total enrollment of Clovis West High School – a one of the larger high schools in the Central Valley. I don’t know about you, but when I heard that stat, I was floored. And heartbroken.
But the story doesn’t end there. Fresno-based advocacy organization, City Without Orphans (CWO), was founded in 2011 by a social worker and a pastor who are working to change that number.
Daniel and Whitney Bunker are the husband and wife powerhouse team behind City Without Orphans, and adoptive parents themselves. Their cause and passion, that is shared with so many, has received major coverage in recent years, including a spread in Christianity Today. The organization strategically operates as a bridge, connecting foster and adoptive families, social service organizations, and the faith-based community, to serve vulnerable children within the Fresno area. CWO hosts dozens of foster and adoption awareness workshops and events each year. They even have a new “traveling awareness exhibit” which will share stories of those touched by the foster care system – debuting at Downtown Fresno’s Art Hop on Thursday, November 5th, 5-8:30pm.
This weekend, CWO will host one of their most impactful events of the year: the Annual Online Auction Fundraiser, Friday, November 6 and ending Monday, November 9. This online auction raises funds for the group’s yearly Christmas celebration—the largest party for foster kids in the central valley, hosting 800 Fresno-area children and caregivers at the Fresno Fairgrounds.
The online auction will feature high-end items such as a two-night stay at an eco-friendly vacation home in Santa Barbara, California; gift certificates for several local restaurants including Fleming’s Steakhouse, The Cheesecake Factory, and Jack’s Urban Eats; donated items from Williams-Sonoma, Trader Joe’s, and Dutch Bros. Coffee; and sports collectibles from the National Champion Fresno Grizzlies; and much more. Nearly 75 items will be up for bid on the large auction online, timed perfectly for holiday shoppers (with a heart!).
Shhhhh…secret shopper tip: pre-register for the online auction, and enter to win a $30 Starbucks giftcard! Free pumpkin spice lattes for daaaaays!
So, mark your calendars for this weekend’s online auction, November 6-9, and help City Without Orphans & the Fresno County Foster Care System make a difference in the life of a child in foster care!
View the mission of City Without Orphans on the web, LIKE them on Facebook, FOLLOW them on Instagram.
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