Kaitlin’s Story

Kids On A Mission began when Kaitlin Riffel was only eight years old.  After visiting the Fresno Rescue Mission (a facility that serves the homeless) and seeing first hand what poverty looks like, she decided to do something to change the lives of the less fortunate in her own community.  With the help of her parents and two younger sisters, she began selling oranges and making small donations to the Fresno Rescue Mission.  Soon after, Kaitlin began inviting many friends to join her in raising $80,000 to build a playground at Rescue the Children (a shelter for women and children).  They did many fundraisers including a Christmas boutique, lemonade stand, bake sale, recycling and so much more.  In April of 2013, the funds were all raised and the playground was installed. After the playground was built, the kids on the KOAM team didn’t want to stop there. It became an official non profit and many various smaller projects have been done since that time! 

Kaitlin, along with the help of her friends, has also led two teams on mission trips to El Salvador, in 2013 and 2014, providing homes, roofs, food and the love of Jesus for the less fortunate families there. She has also led 3 teams on mission trips into Costa Rica which included planning and implementing a 3 day VBS program for 2 churches each year along with providing hundreds of meals for the kids and their parents. She just recently led another mission trip into Costa Rica at the end of 2018 and into the first week of 2019. A team of 12 people went on this trip and were able to bless three different churches in the city of Boca de Arenal with a 3 day VBS program! Mission trips are a huge part of what Kids On A Mission does and are a fundamental way to raise up amazing leaders. 

Read about our vision to see what Kaitlin’s plans are now for Kids On A Mission.