Airport Valet Express supports Bakersfield's foster care community
The Bakersfield Angels is a non-profit organization that has several different programs aimed at supporting the foster care community in Bakersfield.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 - The Bakersfield Angels is a local nonprofit
00:04 that has several different programs
00:06 aimed at supporting the foster care community
00:08 here in Bakersfield.
00:09 During the summer, with the help of local businesses,
00:12 they were able to provide families the opportunity
00:14 to escape the heat and travel to the beach free of charge.
00:18 23 ABC's Corey O'Leary has more.
00:21 - We believe that not everyone is called to foster
00:23 and not everyone is called to adopt,
00:25 but everyone can make a difference in the life of a child.
00:27 - That's the idea that started
00:29 the What's Your Thing campaign at the Bakersfield Angels.
00:32 Allison McClain is part of that organization
00:34 that looks to provide support
00:35 for youth experiencing foster care
00:37 and helping can come in a variety of ways.
00:39 That caught the attention of Philip Rudnick.
00:42 - I attended one of their functions
00:44 where they were displaying a lot of the work
00:47 that their clients were doing.
00:48 When we had this summer heat wave,
00:50 I knew that there was something we had to do
00:52 to help that organization.
00:54 - And the help Rudnick envisioned
00:56 came in the form of his charter bus business.
00:59 If you wanna hear sounds of the ocean,
01:01 you'd have to drive around two hours
01:03 to get there from Bakersfield.
01:04 But that's where Rudnick and his charter buses
01:08 came into play.
01:09 Families who have received support
01:11 from the Bakersfield Angels were given opportunities
01:14 to travel to the beach in Ventura.
01:16 - The value of what we get for what we do
01:18 is much more than the money
01:20 that is costing me to send them there.
01:22 - The families that we support are very large.
01:24 On average, five kids in the home.
01:26 And so a large vehicle, gas to and from the beach, $150,
01:31 parking, $20, you know, all of it.
01:34 And so it's such a gift
01:36 that he is giving them the opportunity
01:38 just to show up and jump on a bus.
01:40 - The trip allowed parents like Tiffany Hatcher
01:42 a chance to sit back and relax.
01:44 - I don't have to worry about driving and focusing on kids.
01:48 I can focus on the children and not worry about anything.
01:52 - And also show her children where she grew up.
01:54 - Born and raised, so it feels really good to be home.
01:57 I'm gonna show them my old stomping grounds
01:59 down here at Pierpont.
02:00 - While the parents had to help supervise,
02:02 for the children, it was pure fun.
02:04 - Oh, it's a big one!
02:06 It's a shark!
02:07 - She had told me yesterday and I got really happy.
02:13 - Definitely nice weather.
02:15 - And built sandcastles.
02:18 - So two of the things that we said that we were gonna do
02:20 is one, that we were gonna look for sand crabs,
02:23 and two, we're gonna build a heart in the sand
02:24 and take a picture.
02:26 - Sandy, hot, and fun.
02:28 - Amazing, fun, ride the waves.
02:32 - The trips allowed those in the foster care community
02:35 to connect with each other.
02:36 - Fostering can be a lonely journey.
02:40 A lot of people don't understand
02:41 what it's like to raise kids from hard places.
02:44 And so they're building community,
02:46 even on the bus on the way over,
02:47 getting to know each other
02:48 and then spending the day on the sand.
02:50 Kids getting to play together.
02:52 - The Bakersfield Angels were able to provide
02:54 these beach trips to the foster care community
02:57 with the help of Philip Rudnick.
02:59 And many of their programs rely on community members
03:02 giving back and volunteering.
03:03 - We love them, we love the support they've given us.
03:07 We cherish our time with getting to know other families
03:11 during these type of events
03:13 and just being able to wrap around each other
03:16 and help each other through some hard seasons.
03:18 - Families that have received help from the Angels
03:20 say the support has been critical.
03:22 - If I need groceries, they'll help me.
03:24 If they're helping with the shoe and backpack drive
03:27 for all the kids for school,
03:30 very nice to get help when you're not expecting it.
03:33 - Including the trips to the beach.
03:35 - They've taken us on amazing beach trips
03:37 like the one today.
03:39 They're just always there when we need any support.
03:42 - We felt that it's something that we could contribute.
03:46 The experience and getting away from this heat wave
03:49 is meaningful to them.
03:50 And if it is, it's meaningful to us.
03:53 - Loaning his bus was something
03:54 Philip Rudnick could do to help.
03:56 Allison McClain wants to know, what could you do?
03:59 - I always say, like, tell me what you do
04:01 and I'll tell you how you can help.
04:03 - Corey O'Leary, 23 ABC News, connecting you.
04:06 - And those interested in volunteering
04:10 or joining the What's Your Thing campaign
04:12 can go to bakersfieldangels.com to learn more.