Community Corner

Alice's Kids Builds Youth Self-Esteem in Alexandria

The Mount Vernon nonprofit organization provides small necessities for children in the Alexandria area.

Ron Fitzsimmons and his organization Alice's Kids are looking at a possible expansion as it continues to serve children Mount Vernon and surrounding areas. Alice's Kids provides small necessities for underprivileged children. Fitzsimmons said he started the organization with his younger sister and brother because he can relate to students who sometimes go without.

"When I was a kid growing up in New York, my father abandoned us and we grew up on welfare," he said. "I remember that our situation became public when I would have to go to school wearing the same shirt."

Fitzsimmons said every once in awhile, his mother Alice would spend a few extra dollars to buy new things for them, and what that did for his self-esteem is what motivates him and the members of his organization to help local children in small ways.

"I can't really describe how I felt when my mother would take the time and money to do this," he said. "It just did something to my self-esteem."

Alice's Kids has multiple partnerships with other local nonprofit organizations, including United Community Ministries (UCM), Good Shepherd Housing & Family Services, Progresso Hispano and New Hope Housing. Unlike these larger organizations, Alice's Kids donate smaller necessities specifically for children.

"These organizations do a great job and they deal with housing and food, the big stuff," Fitzsimmons said. "I wanted to hone in on the children and what they need, the smaller things."

Over the past three years, Alice's Kids has helped about 300 children with direct assistance and raised about $11,000 last year. Fitzsimmons said after networking, speaking with local nonprofits and visiting schools, he was able to develop a procedure to provide purchase orders for children's families to help out with smaller necessities. Alice's Kids has provided donations to help in situations such as replacing a stolen bike, purchasing athletic gear for the school year and paying for Boy Scouts registration fees.

Alice's Kids accepts donations all year round but doesn't organize many fundraising events. Fitzsimmons said they try to avoid too much public attention and just provide what the children need.

"We try to avoid the public eye, so we don't ask the families' names. We just provide them with a purchase order," he said. "I feel like Santa even though it's just an email that says, 'Here's a purchase order for $100. Have at it.'"

The members of Alice's Kids simply want to help children in need and emphasize the need for the community to help out when necessary.

"There's this perception that the underprivileged sit around and wait for a check. I want to education people on what it's like to be underprivileged and to be in needs," he said.

Once a year, Alice's Kids makes a big push for donations, and that time of year has come around once again. The organization plans a summer book fair every year that helps hundreds of kids in the Alexandria area. 

Alice's Kids is now receiving requests for help from other areas including Loudon County. Alice's Kids will potentially grow to help kids in different states, but for now Fitzsimmons said they just want to lend a hand to kids right here in Fairfax County.

"We just want to help out with small things and help the self-esteem of kids," Fitzsimmons explained.

For more information or to donate to help underprivileged children, visit Alice's Kids and read about these children's stories on the organization's Facebook page.


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