Create For Kids is a new club created by juniors Stephanie Bernzweig and Sophia Keen to inspire hope for kids who are hospital patients.

Create For Kids is a national youth-run nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring pediatric patients through art and helping them pursue their dreams. Bernzweig and Keen created an Algonquin chapter to pursue their mission of helping children in the local community who are struggling with illnesses.

Bernzweig and Keen’s main goal is to host hospital drives every two or three months to bring the Algonquin community’s support to area hospitals. Members of the club create cards and kits to be given to pediatric patients. They create four different kinds of kits: activity, drawing, painting and brain kits, which include puzzles to improve brain function.

“Our meetings are an hour long, but the last thirty minutes are optional,” Keen said. “We give members time to get volunteer hours because members have the option to create a card for the last thirty minutes for community service.”

At a recent meeting, members were engaged in sharing ideas for future events, and the leaders were impressed by club members’ enthusiasm. 

“It is impactful for me and Stephanie to be able to see this group show how willing they are to make a difference and a change,” Keen said.

The club, advised by Special Education teacher Alison Chan, meets in D108 and communicates meetings and upcoming events through their Instagram account, @createforkidsarhs, where they also post pictures from meetings.

Keen has a passion for helping others, with plans to become a pediatric physiatrist, while Bernzweig plans to do something related to kids as a career. Keen also plans to bring Create For Kids to college, and one day, she hopes to create her own nonprofit organization. 

“I feel like my entire life has been giving back to my community and being able to be a person that can make a difference,” Keen said.