On July 14, from 1908 through 1950, founder Senator Arthur Capper would host a community-wide birthday party, affectionately called “Children’s Day”. It just happened to be his birthday, but he always wanted the focus to be on the children in the community. Nearly 20,000 guests would enjoy a variety of fun activities for children. Senator Capper passed December 1950 but the foundation continues to honor him on July 14 each year with a smaller scale birthday party. This summer they will celebrate Senator Capper’s 156th birthday.
The Capper Fund, now the Capper Foundation was established in 1920 and had their 100th Anniversary on December 25, 2020. They have helped countless children and adults with disabilities live their best lives. In order to continue its mission, the nonprofit needs the community’s support more than ever.
“It's been a really challenging year,” says Edie Smith, vice president of developing and marketing. “And we don't want any child to be without services.”
Most of the key signature events that are usually held to help raise funds have been canceled due to COVID-19. However, the popular fundraiser, Blarney Breakfast, will take place on September 18. “It's a pretty fun event and we just do crazy Irish things,” says Edie.
The five-year Capper CAN! $4 million capital campaign, started in September of 2019, aims to raise funds to develop new proactive service initiatives to help unify the community’s approach to serving individuals and their families with intellectual, physical, developmental and behavioral disabilities.
One of the primary goals of this campaign is to hire more therapists. “This is the thing that breaks my heart” says Edie. “We typically have about two hundred children on our waiting lists and their average wait time is about eleven months. You lose a lot of ground with a child if you can't immediately start serving their needs because the wiring is changing over those months.”
Although they do get some reimbursement through the state and from insurance, there is still a hefty gap, which donations are critically needed to fill. “Ninety two cents out of every dollar donated goes directly into our programs and services,” she says. “Only four percent goes into fundraising and only four percent into administrative costs. We have a very lean mean budget.”
Besides monetary help, Capper is also in need of volunteers, who Edie says are part of the heartbeat of what they do. “We really do encourage people to incorporate philanthropy into their lifestyle because you’re part of a community and with places like the Capper Foundation, we're very invested in community and helping to build it through what we do in our services. You're also helping people be the best they can be. You're helping them be a part of their family in a way they maybe wouldn't otherwise be able to be.”
To participate in an event, donate or volunteer your time, or to purchase an item from its wish list, go to www.capper.org or call 785-272-4060.