WASHINGTON—Volunteers, philanthropists, and families gathered on July 10 at Nationals Park to celebrate the 16th Homeruns for Horton’s Kids.
The event benefits a community outreach group that works primarily with underprivileged youth in southeast D.C.
“We’ve served thousands of kids and families, academic and youth development, health and wellness programs, and community foundation programs and we’re hoping to be able to continue,” said the program’s executive director, Erica Ahdoot.
Families were treated to free stadium food and sweet treats, as well as face painting, puppy petting, and games on the home field of Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals. The annual charity event has raised over $6 million to date; corporate sponsors include Microsoft and H&R Block.
Ms. Ahdoot told The Epoch Times that the program’s name is a nod to popular children’s literature and the organization’s commitment to fostering a love of reading.
The event was all fun and games, but the Horton’s Kids program gets serious results—it has maintained a 100 percent on-time high school graduation rate among its participants for the last seven consecutive years.
“Kids in our program were twice as likely to graduate high school on time,” said Ms. Ahdoot. “That just shows that a lot of times we need to come in as community-based organizations to supplement what the schools are doing, and really help kids identify what their individual pathways are because they can be successful.”
Jermekkio Holliway, a 24-year-old caseworker, credits Horton’s with guiding him through school all the way to his bachelor’s degree in social work. He hopes to go on to graduate school.
“I joined when I was five years old … but I didn’t really realize until I got to college, how much the program really helped me persevere,” he said.
“A lot of fathers aren’t present, so Horton’s Kids stepped in in a way that a lot of people need, especially in underserved communities.”
Sue Brown, a volunteer, has been donating her time and energy to the organization since she moved to D.C. in 1999.
“'I’ve seen most of these kids grow up,” she told The Epoch Times. “I stay because Horton’s gives us some of the only people in Southeast that are doing what they’re doing with these kids in a very needy area.”
Ms. Brown has filled a lot of roles at Horton’s Kids, from tutoring to driving students on camping trips; when she spoke to The Epoch Times she was gently herding the crowd of kids waiting at the batting cages.
She said the program has grown “like tendrils” during her time, from providing community events and limited tutoring services to a full community outreach hub, shoring up food insecurity, and handing out diapers.
Ms. Brown noted that some of the children were slow to open up to the volunteers, but that persistence paid off.
“That growing relationship … it’s just important to be a presence, really just being there, you know what I mean?“ she said. ”Somebody they can check in with … a friendly face, taking them to camp. All of that consistency, I think, is super important.
“And the kids have really, really grown; it’s like a family, like a big family.”
