Joyful Child Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Joyful Child Foundation was established in 2002 by the Runnion family after the sexual assault and murder of five-year-old Samantha Runnion
in 2002. Its first initiative was "Samantha's Pride" which aims to facilitate the establishment of child watch programs in communities across the US. As at the end of 2004, 51 programs had been established concentrated in the Orange County, California
area of southern California. The California Conservatory of the Arts sponsored a group called the Kids Next Door who recorded a fundraising Christmas album at the end of 2004 with funds going to the Joyful Child Foundation.
In addition to funding the "Samantha's Pride" initiative, the Joyful Child Foundation will use donations to
Samantha Runnion
Samantha Bree Runnion was an American murder victim. She was born in Massachusetts and was a resident of Stanton, California.-Kidnapping and murder:...
in 2002. Its first initiative was "Samantha's Pride" which aims to facilitate the establishment of child watch programs in communities across the US. As at the end of 2004, 51 programs had been established concentrated in the Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
area of southern California. The California Conservatory of the Arts sponsored a group called the Kids Next Door who recorded a fundraising Christmas album at the end of 2004 with funds going to the Joyful Child Foundation.
In addition to funding the "Samantha's Pride" initiative, the Joyful Child Foundation will use donations to
- fund children's creative writing and artistic programs; and
- fund nonprofit organisations that seek to prevent child abuse and abduction; and
- research into predator behaviour and recidivism.
External links
- Joyful Child web page
- Good Morning America story
- California Conservatory of the Arts: Kids Next Door is a performance group, in residence at CCA, consisting of students selected by audition from the Conservatory. 2006 is the 25th anniversary of the group.