Rachel
Working at Future for KIDS has been a privilege and an honor. I feel that as I am reaching the end of my time at Future for KIDS I have found my groove here. I feel comfortable in the things I am doing and in the experience I have gained. Future for KIDS didn't just teach me about a business, they taught me about community. When working in such a small organization you have to have allies in every corner ready to help you when you need. Personal interactions are a huge part of being in the nonprofit community. Everyone is involved no matter how small the job. Everyone stays in contact at all times, ready and prepared for changes and growth in the company. To me, Future for KIDS isn't just a nonprofit, it is a family, a family that is there for each other and for the kids that we are striving for. We are a family that thrives off each other and helps propel each other forward.

This experience has become such an important part of my life that I plan to continue to help with the organization whenever I can, working with them on projects I have started during my time here. This has been such a rewarding experience, because in my heart and in my experiences I know that the work I have done for Future for KIDS has and will continue to be important. Future for KIDS has helped me grow and change giving me knowledge and strength in my abilities. This has been an amazing adventure that I will remember forever, I have faith that this experience will be an integral part of my future.

Working with the kids at our sites is a wonderful learning experience; it teaches you about compassion and shows you to have faith in what you do because it does matter. Those kids are the most amazing individuals, from day one they grabbed my heart and didn't let go. I feel that the children we serve at our sites are the mortar that holds this organization together, without them, what would we fight for. My reason for being able to get up at 6:30am and come into work is because, it matters when I am there, it matters to the organization, and it matters to the kids.

As my internship comes to an end so does our summer program for Discover Your Future, it pulls at my heart as I realize how much I am going to miss working with the kids. I am going to miss being a part of their lives and watching them as they build their confidence and hope. The one thing that makes it all ok is the realization that I was a part of a great experience for this short time and I made an impact and a difference in the children's lives, helping them grow stronger minds and bodies.

Rachel DePietro