KidsMatter

KidsMatter is pleased to collaborate with Alive Center, Inside Out Club and Go Brewing to plan the first Naperville Possibility Festival -- coming up next weekend, Oct. 10 and 11! High school and college students, register now to secure your spot for this free experience -- all about getting out of your normal day-to-day in a way that's super-fun and learning to connect with people on a deeper level. Find the details here: https://possibilityfestival.com/

🚨💚 ONE WEEK TO GO! 💚🚨

We’re officially 7 DAYS AWAY from the Naperville Possibility Festival!

Get ready for two FREE days of experiences created to help you step outside your usual routine, meet new people, explore ideas, and build REAL connections. 🤝✨

📅 October 10–11
📍 Central Park | Naperville, IL
🎟️ FREE to attend
📲 Registration required

⚠️Space is limited, so don’t wait! Click this link to register and save your spot: https://possibilityfestival.com/registration-form ✨💙

DEADLINE EXTENDED!

KidsMatter and the ThinkGlobal Arts Foundation have extended the deadline for our “Science in a Snap” video contest to midnight on Friday, Oct. 16. This gives students in junior high, middle school and high school more time to create a short, 1-2 minute video, answering the question “How can science make the world a better place?” Students, want to showcase your creativity and scientific thinking all at once? Get details or apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjcTTjwebzSgysj7LDTlK-XoWrSORBQtMKLqTVKaCYwmyTpg/viewform

Thank you to Vai’s, Entourage and the Sandy and Pete Georganas family for their sponsorship of our 2026 EMPOWER Gala! As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we are so grateful for your support of youth and families in our community!

Gala details: https://kidsmatter2us.org/empower
# thankyou

Thank you to DuPage Foundation for their sponsorship of our 2026 KidsMatter EMPOWER Gala, during our 25th anniversary year! This support champions our work of encouraging young people to “Dream. Believe. Become” and helps us achieve the next years of community impact.

Gala details: https://kidsmatter2us.org/empower
# thankyou

Join GPS Parent Series in partnership with KidsMatter for our upcoming webinar, “Mattering: The Tension Between a ‘Never Enough’ Mentality, Purpose, and Student Well-being," presented by Jennifer Breheny Wallace with Dr. Lisa Damour.

We hope you join us! This FREE webinar is offered at both noon and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13th, and does NOT require online registration; simply click on the link below and choose whichever time works best for you! We hope to see you there!

12:00 p.m. – https://glenbard.zoom.us/j/81400632153
7:00 p.m. – https://glenbard.zoom.us/j/81171937628
For additional parent resources, visit our website at https://kidsmatter2us.org/resources/.

In this program, Wallace and Damour will answer the question: How do we help our children strive for excellence without crushing their spirits? We invite you to join us for an in-depth examination of the fundamental human need for mattering — the conviction that individuals are valued for their character and possess the capacity to contribute meaningfully to their families, schools, and communities.

We're excited to share that KidsMatter's own CEO & Executive Director Nina Menis is one of the featured table leaders for Seat at the Table, a one-of-a-kind leadership event hosted by the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce.

This interactive leadership event brings together 10 local leaders, each hosting a table for small-group conversations on leadership, strategy, and professional growth. Attendees can choose their table or opt for general admission and be matched with one.

KidsMatter invites anyone interested to pull up a Seat at the Table for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 at Elements at Water Street by registering at bit.ly/NACC-Seat-at-the-Table.

Here's a list of all the community leaders hosting tables, among whom Nina and KidsMatter are honored to be included:
Alex Anderson - Owner, Oswald's Pharmacy
Jason Arres - Chief of Police, Naperville Police Department
Mike Briggs - President & CEO, Little Friends
Rena Calabrese - President & CEO, Naper Settlement
Monica Conners - President, Naperville Development Partnership
Dave Della Terza - Executive Director, Naperville Public Library
Nina Menis - CEO & Executive Director, KidsMatter
David Miller - Managing Owner, Chef by Request Catering | The Belmont | The George | Elements at Water Street
Mark Puknaitis - Fire Chief, Fire Department

Today is "Give Like Dolly Day," and KidsMatter is proud to help support Parton's Imagination Library in DuPage County. Today, we're celebrating and remembering Dolly Parton for her amazing contributions in music and entertainment, as well as her heart for giving, which has established the Imagination Library to promote literacy and inspire a love of reading among children of all ages. Dolly Parton's Imagination library mails free, high-quality books to registered children every month from birth to age five -- and children in participating DuPage County communities are now eligible to apply.

For details about the library or to donate in celebration of Give Like Dolly Day, visit https://kidsmatter2us.org/dolly-partons-imagination-library-dupage/.

New on Positively Naperville! ✨KidsMatter reflects on our organization’s history, our collaborative roots, and the partnerships that continue to empower youth to realize their purpose, know their value, and find their pathway.

Read it here: https://www.positivelynaperville.com/2026/09/03/kidsmatter-2-us-kidsmatter-celebrates-25-years/160830

For 25 years, KidsMatter has worked alongside schools, hospitals, mental-health professionals, public-safety agencies, government, businesses, faith communities, foundations, service organizations, families, and youth-serving organizations to help young people thrive. Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey together!

KidsMatter 2 Us – KidsMatter Celebrates 25 Years! Explore KidsMatter, a collaborative initiative supporting youth for over 25 years with effective prevention strategies and community efforts.