Through the years:

Everybody's Children Foundation was started legally in 2004.

Before this, the founder Charles Paragian held social dances to collect toys and luggage for children in foster care.  Mr. Charles Paragian along with his long term partner of seventeen years,  Daniel Sernekos fostered and adopted their five children.  ( To learn more about this family you can see the HBO Documentary " All Aboard Rosie's Family Cruise"  where they were a featured family in this very iinformative documentary)

In 2004 Everybody's Children Foundation was born.  Their first target was Grace Hall in Newark, N.J.  The first Everybody's Children Foundation Dinner, Dance and show was held.  Just under $10,000 was raised and with that money the foundation purchased the following:

* Bikes

* Therapeutic Games

* X Box

* X Box sports games

* Afghans for every child ( donated by the Linus Project)

* learning toys for every child

In 2005, the second fund raiser was held and we raised just under $15,000.

Children's Aid and Family Services had a wish list for sewing machines for one of their group homes so they could have an instructor from FIT come and teach the kids to sew.  Everybody's Children Foundation donated three sewing machines.

2006:  Children's Aid and Family Services had a wish list for a 27" TV with DVD player for their child care unit.  Also they asked and received a digital camera to be able to place their children that are adoptable onto the internet. 

During this year Diane Nardone held a World Hustle Competition and collected toys for Everybody's Children Foundation.  Along with these toys, Charles Paragian went out personally and with his five kids, Raymond, Maggie, Kayla, Justin and Jayda picked out toys for 22 kids from YCS:  Grace Hall in Newark NJ to hold a Holiday party on December 3, 2006.  Santa was booked, a magician was booked and the day was a huge success.  Charles Paragian baked for four days every dessert for the party to give the kids home cooked ginger bread cookies, apple pie's, sour cream apple pie's, double chocolate cakes, pumkin pies, cup cakes and apple cider and apple juice was served along with fresh fruits.

For under $3000 this was accomplished.  Each child got three gifts.  Smithsonian learning toys was a favorite pick of ours along with other toys.

Also in 2006, Everybody's Children Foundation is proud to announce we have started a Scholarship program.  $5000 was donated with the promise of receipts for all the money spent on two deserving foster children attending college.  One was able to pay off her tuition and the other was not only able to pay off her tuition but signed up for THREE more classes to further her education.  This money went to Children's Aid and Family Services children. 

Our next benefit will be on April 14, 2007.  Check out our page for more information on this very worthy event.

Pictures will follow soon.  To see the faces of these children was pricelss. 

After seeing the statistics for 2006, 12,702 children in foster care in New Jersey and 5,298 that are waiting for adoption, Everybody's Children Foundation is going to take on a new project, we will be putting together a Information party for those interested in fostering and adopting.  It will be held some time this summer and I hope you will check back with us to get the information and pass it around to those interested.

2007 has been an extremely productive year for us here at Everybody's Children Foundation.  Starting with Capitol Dancesport raising $4180. Then our benefit raised just about $23,000.  The money this year was used first for our scholarship program and we donated $10,000 to help six kids that have aged out to help with their college.  This was donated to NJ Children and family aid.  We then had our annual holiday party this time for Path 1 and path 2.  Children ranging from ages 5 - 11.  In all my years doing this, I have to say this was the BEST one ever.  The girls all had a wish list and we bought three gifts each for them.  Because of the smaller amount this year of kids we were able to spend more then usual.  The girls opened up their presents with excitment and it was a joy to watch along with our five kids watching and learning about the gift of giving.  It was discovered that there were more boys then what was originally planned so we asked the boys if they would mind watching the girls open their presents and when the party was over our family would go out and get three more presents for the other three boys and we would come to their home to give them their presents.  They were not only polite but did not mind waiting.  Our family ran out to Toys R US and purchased three more Nintendo DS and our friend BB wrapped them while we drove to the home.  The boys gathered around and we gave our presents out.  For a good ten minutes after the first boy opened his gift you could not hear a thing and would swear you were  at a rock concert.  The excitement put huge smiles on all of us including the social workers to see all of these boys screaming with joy at once.  One boy sent us a thank you note with a picture he drew not only thanking us but also letting me know they are all sharing the games with each other.   My youngest son who is 8 wanted a nintendo DS so bad and instead of saying I wish it was me who got it, he was overjoyed for those boys.  Our kids got the message of giving and those boys received something special.  One boy came to me and said no one had ever given him anything like this before.  That is what the holidays are all about and each year we strive to make these kids know they are loved.  Many of those kids are free for adoption and that would be my last dream of 2007 to see them in forever homes with a family that loves them.  This was truly a wonderful year.  We look forward to raising and doing more in 2008.