On Saturday, May 21, the parking lot outside Families United Network (FUN) in Mount Joy will be full of love and laughter. The annual FUN Fest will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the organization, 412 S. Angle St., and will feature a variety of activities for people of all ages.
"May is National Foster Care Month, and we are holding (the event) in honor of that," explained Kristin Meeks, FUN program supervisor. "It's an opportunity to possibly recruit families and bring awareness of what we do as an agency."
Headquartered in Muncy, Families United Network was founded in 1996 as a private foster care provider. The agency has multiple locations throughout the state; the Mount Joy office has been in operation for about 20 years.
This is the first time FUN Fest is being held since 2019, when it paused for two years due to the pandemic. "We're really excited to bring this back," Meeks noted. "If you have kids, it's a fun day to come out and have some nice family time together." The festivities will feature a bounce house, free food, crafts, prizes and a variety of vendors, including Board and Brush, Paparazzi and Thirty-One Gifts. Information tables will also be set up to showcase the services of FUN.
While the event is free, donations will be accepted for the organization's mission. "Any proceeds we make from this event will be used for our foster parent event for our families, which is also held in May," said Holly Tanner, resource parent specialist for FUN.
Tanner noted that the event has been well-received in the past. "Some families come for half an hour. Some come for two hours," she said. "There is something for everybody to do, and it's all free."
Tanner emphasized that the day is all about family - having fun but also promoting the agency's work. "It's a nice opportunity for families ... to see we who we are," she remarked. "We've been in the community a long time, but many people don't know our name. We're right here in your backyard, and we want people to know about us and how they can make a difference in a child's life."
She encourages everyone to attend FUN Fest, adding, "Bring your children; bring your neighbors. Get everybody out of the house and come out for a fun day of kid-focused activities."
Vendors are still being accepted for FUN Fest, and people are invited to set up tables of yard sale items. For more information, call the Families United Network office at 717-492-9338. For more information on Families United Network, visit http://www.families4kids.org.
Leave a Review