KVC Nebraska recently hosted our seventh annual Crop for Kids fundraising event, which brought together more than 50 crafters and makers from across Nebraska to scrapbook, socialize and support the children, teens and families we serve. The fundraiser, which took place June 7 – June 9, 2024, was held at the KVC Nebraska office in Lincoln. Learn about this popular event, and how the funds raised support our vital work. 

What is Crop for Kids?

Images from the first annual Crop for Kids event

Crop for Kids started as an idea from one of our team members! After witnessing the declining popularity of a different fundraiser, KVC Nebraska licensing specialist Liz Bonney-Heermann raised her hand with an idea that combined two of her passions: KVC and crafting! In 2016, KVC hosted the first annual Crop for Kids, spearheaded by Liz and her family. 

For those who aren’t familiar with cropping, the term refers to a pop-up event where crafters – usually scrapbookers – can bring their projects and buy a space at a table to come socialize with their community and get some crafting done. But the cropping is only the beginning! 

Everyone who attends Crop for Kids enjoys 35 hours of scrapbooking fun with their own six-foot workspace, a goody bag of crafting materials and KVC swag, their own annual Crop for Kids t-shirt, complimentary Wi-Fi and complimentary meals and beverages every day! The event also features door prizes, raffles, local vendors and different crafting classes.

Liz Bonney-Heermann and Kelli Anderson at the 2023 Crop for Kids event

After a few years, the event continued to gain traction. KVC Nebraska training specialist Kelli Anderson, both a close work friend of Liz and a long-time scrapbooking enthusiast, came on board. The dynamic duo has been running the show ever since!

“We both have a passion for crafting, and we both have a passion for the event and want it to be successful,” reflects Liz.

Crop for Kids: Then and Now

The 2024 Crop for Kids event was our biggest success yet! Liz and Kelli agree that it has been empowering for everyone at KVC Nebraska to watch this event grow from year one to today. “It just kind of has evolved every year to meet the needs that we have,” Kelli shares, proud of how the event has adapted and grown as interest and excitement have grown with it. Here’s how Crop for Kids has changed and grown over the years:

Attendees: The first event had fewer than 30 participants. But this year, the event sold out — with 57 people in attendance, packing out the general admissions and two VIP rooms!

Theme: The first Crop for Kids didn’t have any particular theme. But since then, we’ve added theme elements to the event’s decorations, prizes and classes. A past theme was Beach Party, featuring a vendor who offered a make-and-take beach-themed ornament craft! The 2024 event was a Garden Party.

Classes: Since the first event, we have incorporated various craft classes into Crop for Kids. For instance, Liz’s wife, Mandy, usually teaches a felting class, with past activities including making gnomes or beehives.

Swag: Every year features a new t-shirt design for Crop for Kids, which is a crowd-pleaser among all the fun goodies participants receive when they register. Some of our most loyal attendees have a t-shirt collection from the annual event!

Amount Raised: Since raising about $3,000 at our first Crop for Kids event, we have grown every year and we are so proud to have raised over $8,600 at the 2024 Crop for Kids! All the funds raised fuel our mission: to enrich and enhance the lives of Nebraska families.

What Crop for Kids Means to Us

Crop for Kids is a personally meaningful event for many people! “This is a community that absolutely loves what we’re doing,” Liz shares, “and attendees love it so much that they support what we’re doing here at KVC Nebraska.” Many of the attendees give back by donating top-selling raffle items. At our 2024 event, we had 48 raffles beyond the grand prize raffles! 

Another aspect of the event that Liz always finds humbling is hearing about how it’s considered one of the best crop events in the state.

“That’s always a wonderful compliment to hear and to know we’re doing what we should be doing. We’re on the right path.”

Kelli has found the increased engagement from KVC employees and leadership inspiring as well.

“To have the help and interest of KVC Nebraska leadership is really important to us,” says Kelli, who was proud to show her employers exactly how much value Crop for Kids brings not only to KVC but to the greater Nebraska community.

How Crop for Kids Supports KVC

Crop for Kids raises funds to support the families and children of KVC. By attending, donating to or engaging with Crop for Kids each year, you are helping support the needs of foster parents, shared living providers and children in foster care. Your support makes a difference in the lives of thousands of Nebraska children, adults and families. 

Because of the funds raised at Crop for Kids, we are able to offer foster care, home-based support for people with disabilities, intensive in-home preservation to keep families safely together, reunification services for families reuniting after foster care, outpatient child and family therapy, education support services for youth departing foster care, substance use evaluations and intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment.

See You Next Year!

This year may have been our best yet, but we plan to top it in 2025! As a private, nonprofit organization, KVC Nebraska thrives because of the generosity of others. Join us for our eighth annual Crop for Kids fundraising event: June 6 – June 8, 2025. Keep an eye on our event calendar to see when the event registration opens early next year!