KIDS FIRST! News

Shop for a Cause: Turn Art Into Opportunity

The KIDS FIRST! Online Auction is officially live at midnight May 2! We’ve curated an exclusive collection of rare experiences and masterworks—and this year, we are bringing you closer to Hollywood than ever before.

The Spotlight: VIP Experiences with Mallory Lewis We are honored to feature exclusive opportunities with the legendary Mallory Lewis! Whether you are a fan of her iconic work with Lamb Chop or looking for industry insights, these experiences are the crown jewels of our catalog.

Don’t Want to Wait? Use “Buy It Now!” Found something you absolutely must have? Skip the bidding war! Many of our most coveted items—including fine art, jewelry, and select experiences—feature a “Buy It Now” option. Secure your favorite treasure instantly and support our mission today.

Your Impact: Every winning bid and “Buy It Now” purchase directly fuels the KIDS FIRST! Film Critics program. Your support empowers our youth reporters to master media literacy, build critical thinking skills, and find their voices in the world of entertainment.

Browse the catalog, share the link with your circle, and let’s make an impact together. Happy bidding!

Details:

Bidding Starts: Midnight, May 2, 2026 MDT

Bidding Ends: June 15 at 11:59 p.m. MDT

The Mission: Championing the next generation of storytellers.

Item #1 and #2: Spend an Private Day or a Zoom Call with Mallory Lewis and the world’s most beloved puppet, Lamb Chop.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

The year 2025 has presented unprecedented financial challenges for KIDS FIRST! We began the year with optimism, having secured two federal grants designated to support our Film Festivals in Ukraine, Pakistan, and across the U.S.

Unfortunately, a subsequent change in administration halted the release of federal grants, a dramatic move that impacted countless nonprofits, including ours. This forced us to immediately pivot and seek sustainable, forward-looking sources of revenue.

We responded by doing what we do best: innovating for the future. We successfully formed new alliances to ensure our stability and growth:

• We partnered with a company serving 5,000+ Montessori schools nationwide to host KIDS FIRST! Film Festivals for their families. This generates funds for their schools as well as for us.
• We relaunched our podcast with iHeartMedia, creating the potential for an ongoing ad-sales revenue stream from existing content.
• We established a relationship with three AVOD channels to create a dedicated KIDS FIRST! section, splitting ad revenue 50/50 with the independent filmmakers we champion.
• We launched our ambitious year-end fundraising campaign early, starting in June.

You Are Our Success Story

Your incredible support has made the difference. We successfully reached our first goal of $15,000 at the end of August, and we are now at 98% of our second goal of $30,000!

Your donations are truly keeping KIDS FIRST! alive and well, allowing us to continue our vital work and share our unique insights into youth-focused media with hundreds of thousands of kids and families globally.

We now invite you to help us cross the finish line—and even surpass it!

Will you contribute today? Click the platform link below to make a gift in any form. If you are unable to contribute, please consider forwarding this message to someone who can help us secure our future.

Thank you for your trust and generosity. We send our love and best wishes for the holidays.

Ranny Levy, Founder and President, and the KIDS FIRST! Team

https://fundrazr.com/kidsfirst2025

In the complex world we navigate today, teaching kids to be critical thinkers and savvy media consumers has never been more vital. At KIDS FIRST!, we’ve embraced this mission for 34 years, and our impact on youth and families is a legacy we cherish. Our alumni consistently tell us the profound difference KIDS FIRST! has made in their lives.

This year, despite the unexpected loss of two major government grants due to recent challenges in Washington, we’ve pivoted with purpose. We’re launching two exciting initiatives to create sustainable, ongoing revenue streams to support our essential KIDS FIRST! Film Critics program and the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival.

A Win-Win for Schools and Future Leaders

We’ve established a groundbreaking partnership with a network of 5,000 Montessori schools nationwide. We’ll collaborate with them to host the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival at their campuses – serving as either a vibrant fundraising event for their school or a special bonus for their families. This is truly a win-win, offering schools a fantastic program while generating vital funds for KIDS FIRST!

With each participating school, we’ll recruit new members for our KIDS FIRST! Film Critic team. These young critics will provide their schoolmates with the latest film and media reviews, fostering media literacy from within their own communities.

Our Urgent Need: Doubling Your Impact

To kick start these powerful initiatives, we urgently need to raise $30,000 in the next 30 days. This is a deeply personal ask. Like many of you, I am profoundly concerned about the future of our country, of our world, and committed to efforts organizations that make a tangible difference.

Right now, your donation to KIDS FIRST! will be matched dollar-for-dollar through August 31st! This is a powerful opportunity to double your impact and fuel a movement that’s building a smarter, more discerning generation.

More Than a Program – It’s a Movement. KIDS FIRST! is about more than just film reviews; it’s about empowering young people. Our team of KIDS FIRST! Film Critics creates their own insightful reviews of the latest films, TV shows, and digital media. These reviews are shared with the public through our social media channels, website, and blogs. We’ve cultivated a vibrant community of young people who:

• Know how to sort disinformation & misinformation from credible information.
• Believe in the positive power of media to create positive change in the world.
• Are passionate about sharing their voices with an ever-growing audience.

If you’ve ever doubted the potential of young people, this program will make you feel incredibly optimistic about the leaders of tomorrow.

Please consider a donation of any amount – no amount is too small!

• Donate or learn more at: https://fundrazr.com/kidsfirst2025
• Follow our podcast: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/53-kids-first-coming-attractio-277638809
• Watch our reviews and interviews:
  • https://www.instagram.com/kidsfirstcoming_attractions
  • https://www.youtube.com/@KIDSFIRSTFilmCritics
  • https://www.tiktok.com/@kidsfirstmedia

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for your invaluable support. If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected]

Sincerely,

Ranny and the KIDS FIRST! Team

We have exciting news for you, our loyal follower! Now you can get all our KIDS FIRST! reviews in 3 minutes that you can listen to anytime, anywhere, and keep up on the latest kid-friendly entertainment news – reviews, interviews, behind the scenes insights.

Exclusive to you on our new KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions Podcast on IHeartMedia.

Subscribe here: https://iheart.com/podcast/277638809.

You can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/46ib2cH

A special shout-out to KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Ashleigh Clyde and Tiana Sirmans for their invaluable contributions as hosts and for expertly navigating our quicker-than-usual deadlines. Please take a moment to check out the newest episodes and share the link with your friends and family!

You’ll notice a key difference from our past podcast: these are all short-form (3-4 minutes) – individual or group reviews of films, TV shows, digital media, and talent interviews. This streamlined approach aligns with current listening habits, ensuring that you get the most in the least amount of time.

So, when you want to know what to expect from the latest film / TV show / digital media releases geared for kids, just go to https://iheart.com/podcast/277638809 for a quick 3 minute insight into what’s new in the world of entertainment for kids and families.

When you want more details, go to our website: https://www.kidsfirst.org for full length reviews – in print and video.

In 2023, KIDS FIRST! began a partnership with Ukraine Matters to create an online film festival for children in Ukraine and for Ukrainian refugees. We are returning this September with a 2^nd edition, entitled “Love Changes Everything” that will focus on international short and feature films designed to uplift and inspire.

We have launched a fundraising campaign to support the festival and 50% of all proceeds will go directly to our Ukrainian partners. Your donation will help make this happen.

https://fundrazr.com/KIDSFIRST-Ukraine-FilmFestival

“Continuing our partnership with KIDS FIRST! for a second year is incredibly meaningful,” states Volodymyr Goshyly, President of Ukraine Matters. “After three years of war, Ukrainians are experiencing profound PTSD. These films, brimming with love and compassion, will offer vital inspiration and healing.”

“This collection is a testament to the resilience and hope we see in our friends in Ukraine,” says Nancy Kenney, VP of KIDS FIRST!

Ranny Levy, President, emphasizes, “We began our film festival partnership with Ukraine Matters two years ago  and are excited to expand this year to bring these powerful and supportive stories for their youth and families.”

Leading up to the festival, beginning August 1, KIDS FIRST! will present a series of interviews with program creators to discuss the films featured in the “Love Changes Everything” collection. These young and independent filmmakers (ages 9-65), come from all over the world and represent some of the best new works by emerging filmmakers.

Expanding the Reach of Meaningful Cinema

Beyond this collaboration, KIDS FIRST! invites non-profit organizations worldwide to co-host local festivals or individual film screenings of this curated film collection. Whether at established film festivals, children’s museums, schools, or libraries, KIDS FIRST! can offer your organization an opportunity to help support our friends in Ukraine.

Since 2020, KIDS FIRST! Film Festival has drawn thousands of cinephiles globally, showcasing the powerful work of independent and student filmmakers. KIDS FIRST! Film Festival is a project of the Coalition for Quality Children’s Media, a national non-profit (501-c-3) organization dedicated to promoting quality media for children since 1991.

https://fundrazr.com/KIDSFIRST-Ukraine-FilmFestival