FORT MYERS, Fla. - s4story -- A pair of Southwest Florida girls representing Kidz Care 4 Kidz, a local youth-led charity, sold handmade friendship bracelets and beaded pens to raise money for programs supporting children and teens in foster care.

Kidz Care 4 Kidz donated proceeds totaling $500 to A.N.A.'s Friends, a nonprofit that provides programs and services to Southwest Florida children and teens who have experienced abuse, neglect or abandonment.

Handmade bracelets, long recognized as symbols of friendship, provided an avenue for Kidz Care 4 Kidz members to turn creativity into support for fellow youth they have never met. The donation's arrival coincided with International Friendship Day on July 30 and National Friendship Day on Aug. 2. The fundraiser also reflects a growing culture of youth-led philanthropy and service across Southwest Florida.

"These girls demonstrated leadership by choosing to use their creativity and initiative to help children facing challenges they may never experience themselves," said A.N.A.'s Friends CEO Jessica Kaestner. "Every bracelet and every pen represents a decision to care about someone else's future. We are deeply grateful that Kidz Care 4 Kidz chose A.N.A.'s Friends as the recipient of its generosity, and we hope their example inspires others to discover the difference a simple act of kindness can make."

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Founded and operated by youth in Southwest Florida, Kidz Care 4 Kidz encourages children to give back by creating and selling handmade items that benefit local nonprofit organizations. Its partnership with A.N.A.'s Friends demonstrates a shared commitment to strengthening the community through service to others.

"We want to help people as much as we can," said Darya Haija, founder of Kidz Care 4 Kidz. "I want them to feel happy and know that I helped them."

Serving children across Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties, A.N.A.'s Friends provides essentials like clothing, bedding, hygiene products and school supplies, along with funding for tutoring, therapies and summer programs. The nonprofit also offers Heartfelt Hangouts and EmpoweredU, helping children and young adults build confidence, develop life skills and prepare for adulthood beyond foster care.

Learn more about A.N.A.'s Friends by visiting ANAsfriends.org or calling 239-245-7787.