AMANDA CARES!

Amanda the Panda began in the heart of JoAnn Zimmerman in 1979 with no money, only a dream - to be a caring presence in the community and serving children. She formed Amanda Cares, Inc. and created Amanda the Panda in 1980. Amanda's primary focus for the first seven years was to be a special friend to children living with cancer. Amanda made frequent and repeated visits to children in their homes, hospitals and schools, locally and statewide, bringing a huge heart, a listening ear and lots of warm and wonderful bear hugs!

Almost immediately, another dream surfaced as Amanda realized that children with cancer are children first, and cancer patients second. It was to have a week-long, residential summer camp in Iowa exclusively for children living with cancer. The focus of the camp would be on CHILDHOOD, not cancer, and the children would experience the week of a lifetime. It took JoAnn three years to raise the money to create the first camp in June of 1984, Camp-A-Panda. It was extremely successful and surpassed all expectations! Four years of continued growth and excellence later, in 1988, The Heart Connection took over Camp-A-Panda and it continues today under their auspices.

Amanda the Panda's work with grieving children evolved naturally from her work with children living with cancer. In the fall of 1982, JoAnn created Camp Amanda, a weekend camp exclusively for children who have experienced a death in their family through accident, illness, suicide or homicide. Camp Amanda is the first and longest running camp in the United States for grieving children and teens.

That first camp of 1982 has now grown to three weekend camps each year for children and teens ages 6-17 whose mother, father, sister or brother has died and three separate camps each year designed exclusively for adults whose child, spouse or parent has died. Today, over 30,000 children from 96 of the 99 counties in Iowa have benefitted from Amanda the Panda. More than 900 grieving adults have attended the adult camp which was first developed in 1989. Amanda the Panda has achieved phenomenal success since its humble beginnings in 1980.

Based on one woman's dream of bringing hope and healing to children whose lives have been profoundly altered by the death of someone they love, over 400 volunteers now share and participate in Amanda's caring work.

Amanda Cares, Inc. does what no other agency in our community does. . .it offers extensive help to children and families at a critical time in their lives - when someone they love has died.

Amanda brings the kind of help that eases the hurt and restores children and families back into the mainstream of their lives - supported, validated and encouraged and empowered to go on. Amanda and her camp volunteers provide hope while honoring the children's feelings and celebrating their memories.

Other Amanda Cares, Inc. services include Support Groups, Fun Days, Holiday Cheer Boxes, Pen-Pals, and School visits throughout the year.

The Amanda story is one of good news for all of us. It is a story in which new chapters are waiting to be written. Those future chapters are open pages dependent upon the financial support of others.

With vision and dedication Amanda the Panda will continue to bring compassion, healing and joy to children. We invite you to share in the help Amanda brings. Your contribution will ALWAYS be put to good use. Amanda the Panda is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization.