COFFEE WITH MEGAN

SPOTLIGHT

Coffee with Megan Eddy

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT GOT KIDS, GIVING OPPORTUNITIES TO KIDS FOUNDATION

BY SUZANNE LEDBETTER

Megan Eddy sat down with us on a chilly December morning over a cup of piping hot coffee from Trail Coffee Roasters. Her energy and enthusiasm for serving our community’s youth as Executive Director of GOT Kids Foundation is contagious. Eddy, in her second year with the organization, an acronym for Giving Opportunities to Kids, explains how they serve the students in the Lodi Unified School District in multiple capacities.

“We offer experiential programs like Summer Science Camp at Lodi Lake for students in fourth through sixth grades, a threeday immersive Kayak Camp for middle school students (in collaboration with Headwaters Boathouse), and our newest addition, GOT Kids Camp that will focus on life skills,” says Eddy. “The latter debuts in March of 2023 and we are so excited to bring this opportunity to students in our district.” GOT KIDS ENCOURAGES READING AND

LITERACY. They partner with the Dollywood Foundation, as local affiliates of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a free book gifting program that delivers one free, age-appropriate book, every month to registered children under five years old in the greater Lodi area. GOT Kids also actively sponsors events like the NorCal Science Festival held annually at Tokay High School and the LUSD Art Show, celebrating talented high school artists.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN IS FULFILLING

FOR EDDY. At the end of our first session of Kayak Camp, Eddy surveyed the students for their feedback on the experience. Many of them wrote about how they had gained a sense of confidence by the end of the week. The campers rated their experience at Kayak Camp a 9.3 out of 10, which coming from middle and high schoolers, is high praise. “It's wonderful when an activity can bring kids together outdoors, challenge them and help them build confidence in their own strength and resiliency,” boasts Eddy.

“It's wonderful when an activity can bring kids together outdoors, challenge them and help them build confidence in their own strength and resiliency.”

GOT KIDS IS FUNDED BY LODI’S PHILANTHROPIC FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT FIND PURPOSE IN WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES FOR THE

COMMUNITY. The main source of funding comes from a hugely successful Crab Feed, to be held on February 25. 2023 at the Lodi Grape Festival. By far one of Lodi’s most profitable fundraisers, this annual favorite brings together over 400 friends of GOT Kids for all-you-caneat hot crab, beautiful silent auction baskets, a bounty of raffle items, and a popular dessert auction. They also added a festive Adult Prom fundraiser in 2022 and participate in an online day of giving every April called 209Gives.

ONE OF THE GREATEST PERKS OF EDDY’S JOB IS BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY. “By

far my favorite part of this job is building relationships!” says Eddy. “I love learning about the people I work with, the students we serve, our generous donors, and the community I love.” In 2023, Eddy aims to raise the visibility of GOT Kids. Despite serving students in Lodi and North Stockton for over ten years, much of the community still doesn’t know about GOT Kids and the programs they offer.