'Kids Helping Kids' As Fire Buddies, Students Sell Shirts At Andrew HS

TINLEY PARK, IL — A volunteer-led effort by local fire departments to show support for children battling critical illness continues to gain momentum, with additional fire departments coming on board and recent efforts to engage with local high schools to spread the word.

Project Fire Buddies, a 501(c)(3) organization with its roots in Oak Forest, connected recently with parents and students at Tinley Park's Victor J. Andrew High School. The school agreed to partner with the organization in the sale of Project Fire Buddies T-shirts, with the Andrew High School logo added to it. A portion of funds raised through the same of the $15 shirts go directly to Project Fire Buddies, so the group can continue its mission.

Representatives from Project Fire Buddies set up shop at the Andrew High School game Friday, Oct. 14, and to date have sold 150 to 200 shirts. The shirts are still for sale at the school.

"When a kid is buying that shirt, they know that some of the money is going to go toward the organization to help these kids," said Kurt DeGroot, CEO and founder. "It helps the most vulnerable in their communities, and it also spreads the message in getting the word out there, and I think that’s huge.

Project Fire Buddies started in Oak Forest in 2016, when the family of a child battling cancer called 911 after his condition worsened. A group of firefighters responded to the call, quickly getting the child to the care he needed. From there, the idea grew and DeGroot and others began to dream up ways they could brighten the days of kids suffering illness.

What began with a toy drive, fire truck visits, and home pop-ins in one town, has grown into a wider effort that has rippled outward to 30 different departments, including south suburban Oak Lawn, Palos, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Midlothian, Homewood, Lockport, Lemont, New Lenox, Evergreen Park, Frankfort and Country Club Hills.

"It’s moving quickly," DeGroot said. "It’s a blessing."

All firefighters who participate are doing so as volunteers, DeGroot said. The firefighters build a relationship with their "buddies," stopping in to see them throughout the year.

Thus far in its existence, the group has helped 100 families, and given more than $250,000 back to the sponsored families.

"On a typical visit, they might play a game of catch, help their fire buddy learn to ride a bike, read them a favorite story, or even take some whipped cream in the eye during a round of Pie Face —anything to make their fire buddy laugh and brighten their day!" DeGroot wrote on the group's website.

Project Fire Buddies also invites kids in, giving personal tours of the fire house and even cooking dinner and eating at the kitchen table with a child’s family, according to the site for teenagers, Project Fire Buddies makes sure to "play it cool" — avoiding the showier visits and "focusing on making these older kids’ dreams come true, whether that’s finding tickets to their favorite team’s big game or pitching in for high quality headphones, so they can relax with their favorite music."

The organization continues to add chapters, but DeGroot would love to see it expand beyond Illinois.

"We feel it needs to be in every fire department," DeGroot said. "It’s rewarding for the firefighters, rewarding for the families."

Andrew High School's administration agreeing to partner with the group on the shirt sales is touching, DeGroot said, and he believes other schools might follow suit, with interest already from others such as Sandburg, Stagg, Oak Forest and Tinley Park high schools.

"Bare bones, it's kids helping kids," DeGroot told Patch. "What a great way for the youth to get involved."

"When we were younger, we looked up to the big kids," he added, about the visibility the shirts give the organization.

"It's just a feel-good thing all-around. It’s a win-win."

Find out more about Project Fire Buddies.