Rainbows for Kids

Rainbows for Kids 2023 All-Star Day at All-Star Performances. These are some of the kids we serve and some of the volunteers who make it happen.

To find out about our 2023 Gala CLICK HERE

Welcome to Rainbows for Kids. Scroll down to see what we do.

The teen boys really enjoyed their “boys day out” as they paired up with volunteer buddies and had a great discussion, ate pizza, planted flowers to give to their moms for Mother’s Day, and then went to Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park to play. Thanks to all who support Rainbows for Kids so we can do so many fun activities with the kids.

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Thank you to the second graders in Lindsay Sutterfield’s class at Mesnier Primary School in the Affton School District. They chose Rainbows for Kids as their charity on their 2023 Day of Service. They made garden stones to give to our families.

We are an all-volunteer run organization and we do not get funds from United Way. We rely on the kindness of those who make donations, along with our one fundraiser a year.

To make a donation: CLICK HERE

RAINBOWS FOR KIDS

23 Years in Service and Counting! We’re Here To Help

Rainbows for Kids is a 501 (c)(3) charity in the greater St. Louis Area which works with families of children with cancer and other serious situations. We  serve patients from all three pediatric hospitals in St. Louis: Cardinal Glennon, St. Louis Childrens, and Mercy Pediatrics. We also work with Ronald McDonald House and Camp Rainbow. If you know of a family who could benefit by our services, please let us know: RSVPRainbowsForKids@gmail.com.

Thank you to our association with St. Judes Hospital office in St. Louis, we got some bikes donated and we added more in order to serve all the children who responded to our offer of a new bike.

2022 All-Star Baseball Day at All-Star Performance

Cardinals players Dylan Carlson and Lars Nootbar came out for our annual Rainbows for Kids All-Star Day. Special thanks to Bascha and Matt Whiteside and All-Star Performance Baseball Facility.

If you know of a family with a child with cancer or other serious situation, contact us: rsvprainbowsforkids@gmail.com. To DONATE to Rainbows for Kids CLICK HERE.

Rainbows for Kids volunteers assembling bags which will be distributed to five pediatric outlets in the Greater St. Louis Area who serve children with cancer and other serious illnesses: Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital, St. Louis Childrens’ Hospital, Mercy Pediatrics, Ronald McDonald House, Ranken-Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital. 500 hospitalized families served in 2022.
2021 Family Picnic at Watson Trails Park.

Donations checks may also be mailed to Rainbows for Kids 7221 Waterford Drive  St. Louis, MO 63123.

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HELPED US DURING COVID-19.

If you know a family in the Greater St. Louis Area who has a child with cancer or a serious situation please contact us: RSVPRainbowsForKids@gmail.com or call (314) 842-9724.

We get to know the families we work with and it is one big family atmosphere. We love them, support them, and pray for them.

We have so much fun!

Here are some photos to prove it.

If You Know A Wheelchair Child, Tell Them About Our Playground

August 15, 2021 the new wheelchair accessible playground at Watson Trails Park was dedicated. Rainbows for Kids and all our supporters helped spearhead the playground which is a big part of their completely new playground. Mayor Pat Fribis is shown in the center photo with Sally Tippett Rains and Barbara Tippett. The playground was started with seed money from tribute donations in memory of Margie and Jack Tippett, and one of the swings was named Anne’s swing after Barb Tippett’s daughter Anne Schiller who had cancer. Anne’s memory is the driving force behind Rainbows for Kids.

TO SEE THE VIDEO LINK TO THE STORY THAT FOX 2 DID ON THE PLAYGROUND: CLICK HERE

THANK YOU to Ronna Orentas for donating these afghans to Rainbows for Kids.
They will make some children very happy.

RECENT EVENTS OR HAPPENINGS WITH RAINBOWS FOR KIDS

Picnic at Watson Trails Park in June, 2021

The families had so much fun playing together at our picnic in June.
At the picnic, we did a balloon release in memory of Ariana Scoggins, one of the kids who had passed away during COVID-19 so the families were not able to attend her funeral. In Rainbows for Kids, the families make friends and those friendships are so important during their child’s treatment and recovery.

Rainbows for Kids is a grassroots organization which is all-volunteer-run We serve families of children with cancer in the Greater St. Louis Area. If you know of a family we can help, please email us: RSVPRainbowsForKids@gmail.com

Thank You to “Bits ‘N Pieces Quilting Guild”

We appreciate Gay Stewart and Tamra Phelps for delivering the beautiful quilts for our families. A quilt can keep a child warm, but it can also be something to hold on to during a scary or lonely time. Our kids love the quilts.

Rainbows for Kids Executive Director, Sally Rains (left) with Bits ‘N Pieces members Tamra Phelps and Gay Stewart.

Summer Outdoor Individual Parties

There is a lot going on! We never closed during the pandemic. Scroll down.

Rainbows for Kids-“CITIZENS OF THE YEAR”

Rainbows for Kids table at Southwest Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner. Front Row: Barbara Tippett, Paulette Johnson, Tim Johnson, Lori Rains. Back Row: Joan Spink, Sally Rains, Rob Rains, Mike Rains

THANK YOU TO THE SOUTHWEST AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

For Recognizing Rainbows for Kids, through the “Citizens of the Year” award to Sally and Rob Rains in 2021.

The award was for work on the new wheelchair accessible playground at Watson Trails Park. Thank you to all who have donated to make this dream come true.

Supporting our families of children with cancer even during COVID-19

What we've done during COVID 19

If you would like to make a donation to help us please CLICK HERE.

Covid-19: To see some of the activities we’ve been doing during this time, CLICK HERE

We are doing our best to help support our families. We’ve had to change the way we do our activities but we are coming up with creative ways to still have fun– one family at a time. We’ve had many outdoor, safe-distance activities plus we supplied them with masks, toilet paper, PPEs and whatever we could during the tough times. We always offer resources, and this year we added a weekly inspirational blog for a time,

If you know of a family of a child with cancer in the greater St. Louis Area who could benefit by a mask made by one of our volunteers please email us: RSVPRainbowsForKids@gmail.com or contact us through our CONTACT PAGE.

THANK YOU DRED SCOTT HERITAGE FOUNDATION

Lynne Jackson and Sally with books no masks

Thank you to the Dred Scott Heritage Foundation for donating books to our Dream and Wonder Room through their “Reading: A Civil Right” program. We appreciate this partnership.

Cam with Dred Scott book

 

How Rainbows for Kida Got Started

Rainbows for Kids was started when a little six-year old girl named Anne was diagnosed with cancer. Her family put on one party at Cardinal Glennon, where she was being treated for a glio-blastoma brain tumor; and rather than be a patient– Anne was a volunteer! The party was such a success they decided to form a 501 (c)(3) charity and it has been going strong for 20 years.

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She and her mom, Barb (shown together in the photo, left) sang at the first fund-raising gala in 2000.  Anne– we called her Annie– was one of our best volunteers. She was always helping others  despite her own battle. She got her angel wings at age 10– though everyone who knew her knew she was already an angel.

There Is So Much Hope

She took many experimental treatments and hopefully because of her and others like her there is more hope every day for new cures and treatments. If you are the parent or loved-one of a child diagnosed with cancer, we want you to know about all the research that is going on and has been going on lately so others can be cured.

We Choose Happy

One way we support our families is by trying to give hope to our families. Through a grant last year from NAILBA, we produced a book called “Choose Happy” which was given out to mothers of children with cancer at a special spa day. The book is filled with inspirational stories. We have also added a Choose Happy Blog which will provide motivation and inspiration to those who read it.

What Does Rainbows for Kids Do?

Rainbows for Kids helps strengthen families during a difficult time by planning activities so they can be together having fun despite the medical treatments. These parties and events help promote a positive attitude– something very valuable in battling a medical crisis. They put on parties, events, spa days for the moms, and our most popular event each year: the All-Star Baseball Team featuring four practices and a game.

In 2020,  Cardinals Manager Mike Shildt came out and played baseball with the kids at their All-Star Game. It was a wonderful day for the kids and the parents that this “Manager of the Year” gave up his time to spend it with them that day.Shildt pitches to child 2.png

How to donate to Rainbows for Kids

Pay By Check:

Mail checks payable to Rainbows for Kids to: Rainbows for Kids 7221 Waterford Drive . St. Louis, MO 63123

Donate Online:

FOR TRIBUTES: We will send a notification to the family of those you wish to make a donation in memory (or honor) of. Please provide us with your name and address as well as theirs. Any questions please email: RSVPRainbowsForKids@gmail.com

CLICK HERE to DONATE

20th Anniversary logo

With Rainbows for Kids, every child is special. Wheel chair, prosthetic leg, visually or hearing impaired, developmental problems … we love them all!

For our 20th Anniversary we wanted to do something really special so we are building a wheelchair accessible playground at Watson Trails Park in St. Louis. Ground breaks in Fall 2020!  THANK YOU!!

Here are some pictures from some of the Rainbows for Kids events.

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Rainbows for Kids… Giving Kids Something to Look Forward to.

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