Kids 4 Kids Carnival continues to raise money and awareness for children in need.

Hundreds of people attended the Kids 4 Kids fourth annual carnival at Willow Elementary on Sunday. The fundraiser is produced by Jr. Variety, a subsidiary of Variety Children’s Charity, an international organization created by the entertainment industry.

Jr. Variety was originated specifically for teenage volunteers who want to give back to those less fortunate, according to Jeremy Forman, 18, who created the organization along with his father, Scott.

“I wanted to do more than just donate old clothes to the needy,” said Jeremy Forman, who approached his father four years earlier with the idea.

Together, Jeremy and Scott created the very first junior division of the larger charity. “While keeping the mission statement of Variety in tact, we’ve created a board comprised solely of high school age students who organize fundraisers and decide upon which charities will receive grants,” said Scott Forman.

The local organization is represented by ten high schools across Los Angeles, including the Agoura and Calabasas high schools.

The Kids 4 Kids carnival is their largest event of the year, said Scott Forman. “At the end of this event, we will have raised over $200,000 for various charities,” he said.

Companies representing the entertainment industry are the predominent sponsors; however, the Jr. Variety volunteers appealed to local sponsorship to donate as well.

Recipients of the money raised this year include both Willow and Sumac elementary schools as well as all five Girls and Boys Clubs of the Conejo and Las Virgenes Valleys, said Scott Forman.

“This year’s event grew 50 percent bigger than last year’s,“ said Scott Forman. “And we hope to continue the success.”

Source: Agoura Hills Patch By: Susan Pascal 2011-04-11 http://agourahills.patch.com/articles/carnival-for-kids-helping-kids#photo-5600231