Urbanna Oyster Festival queen contestant Kaydence Congleton and her little miss spat co-contestant Faith Whitaker worked together this summer to raise money for foster children and teen parents in Middlesex County. They wanted to do their part in the community by donating supplies and care packages to children in need.
Their inspiration for this project came from seeing family members and friends be able to grow and find success despite their situation. A Facebook group was created for their project, which allowed them to hear personal stories and feel even more connected to their cause.
Kaydence said, “It takes a village to raise a child and I want to be able to contribute to families at a disadvantage.” They are passionate that every foster child in Middlesex should have their own personal belongings, and should be able to go through these difficult times in their life with dignity.
“No child should have to carry their belongings in a trash bag through the foster system. We wanted to give them things that they could call their own, and a suitable bag to keep them in,” Kaydence said. With the added challenge of COVID-19 and social distancing, they did their best to find fundraising events that were fun, but also allowed for distance between participants.
They raised money by planning local events including an outdoor movie night at the Middlesex County Sports Complex, a paint night and bake sale at Bethpage Camp-Resort, and a 50/50 raffle. They also collected donations of suitcases and bags for foster children entering the system to keep their belongings. They were able to raise more than $1,800 for school supplies, clothing, toiletries, books, and other items for foster children in Middlesex County.
They reached out to Love4Kids Foundation, which supported their cause by helping out and attending their events. Kaydence and Faith were not only able to help raise money for their cause, but also felt more connected to their community along the way. “Middlesex County has heart, and seeing all of the smiling faces willing to support us at our events was the most rewarding experience,” she said. “Being able to bring people together for fun events that brought back a sense of normalcy, and making a difference in our community will be memories that we will cherish forever.”
During her time at Middlesex High School, Kaydence has played softball and basketball and is currently the vice president of the senior class. She attends Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School, and has maintained her place on the honor roll. After graduation, Kaydence plans to pursue a career in elementary education or real estate.
Kaydence is the daughter of Virginia and Shawn Powell, and the granddaughter of Beverly and Jerry Lane, Pamela Congleton, and Donna and Gary Powell. She has two siblings, Maci and Kyler.
Faith Whitaker, Kaydence’s little miss spat co-contestant, is a first grade student at Middlesex Elementary School. She is the daughter of Elizabeth Williams Whitaker and Allen Whitaker, and the granddaughter of Leroy and Ann Williams and James and Carol Whitaker. She has one brother, Austin.
She enjoys playing with her friends, going to school and camping.
