Events

“There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; then there are those who turn one into the other.”
—Douglas H. Everett

Dreams for Kids events are widely known as the ultimate opportunity.

Our events are opportunities for empowerment for kids and volunteers alike. On one day, dreams become a reality and the future is seen as infinite possibilities. Join us in one of our events and experience joy, hope, inspiration, and a hand-up towards a better future.

kids with face painted

Holiday for Hope

This is where Dreams for Kids began, on Christmas Eve, 1989, in a tiny homeless shelter in Englewood, a desolate and hope starved community on the Southside of Chicago. What began as a single day of giving has evolved into a true social enterprise with the work of our student entrepreneurs in training.

young kid wake boarding

Extreme Recess

In 2000 Dreams for Kids helped create the first regular sports program for kids with disabilities in Illinois. For years, children have come from the sidelines of life into the activities of their dreams in events from water skiing to baseball. The experience transformed many of their lives. Today the experience has become an enterprise with deep impact.

Youth Define Their Fate — and Create a Better Future for Others