This month, Catholic Charities Eastern Washington and Morning Star Boys’ Ranch will host their annual Caring for Kids event at the historic Davenport Hotel. Now in its 23rd year, Caring for Kids offers an opportunity for the organizations to celebrate their shared call to serve vulnerable children.

This year’s theme, “Collaborating to Care for Kids in our Community,” emphasizes the organizations’ shared work to create loving home environments for children by employing trauma-informed care, wraparound services and holistic family support. The fundraiser benefits Catholic Charities and Morning Star Boys’ Ranch programs that support children in our community.

Guest speaker Ryan Oelrich’s keynote address will explore the theme of nonprofit collaboration. Oelrich is executive director of Priority Spokane, which serves as a catalyst and convener in Spokane County for data-driven and focused improvements in economic vitality, education, the environment, health, and community safety.

In his popular TEDx talk on nonprofit collaboration, Oelrich explains that “coordination and collaboration in a community response is key.”

At the Caring for Kids event, Oelrich will share more of his insights on the value of serving children in our region through nonprofit collaborations like that of Morning Star Boys’ Ranch and Catholic Charities.

Collaborating to care for kids in our community is more important than ever. Children in Spokane experience homelessness and poverty and high rates of entry into the foster care system.

To give children a brighter future, Morning Star builds child and family resiliency through its ranch programs, foster care services, and community services. Catholic Charities helps families create loving homes by responding to families in crisis, providing them with stabilizing services and advocating hope for families and children.

The Caring for Kids event will begin with a social hour featuring heavy hors d’oeuvres. KHQ’s Stephanie Vigil will emcee the program, which will include lively entertainment, remarks from Ryan Oelrich and representatives from Catholic Charities Eastern Washington and Morning Star Boys’ Ranch, plus a time to try the event’s traditional signature dessert.

It’s not too late to register for Caring for Kids! You can purchase tickets at www.cceasternwa.org/events. Tickets are $100 or $60 for young adults age 21-30.