Kids to Kids International: A Good Idea is Changing Lives Around the World

The motto by which Kids to Kids International founder Pat Kibbe lives by is “A good idea brings it’s own supply.”

A winner of countless awards, Kibbe is a children’s book author and a former actress, who played a bit part as Alice Kramden’s sister on The Honeymooners. However, it is “every day” that she says she is most proud of. And these days, that means running Kids to Kids International (Ktki). 

Ktki is a global organization based in Yorktown that provides children the opportunity to send school supplies and educational picture books to other children around the world. It is the organization’s mission to foster communication, understanding and peace among children worldwide.

Currently, Ktki is working with a parent at  to send postcards to the children of Japan who have lost everything. They are also getting ready to ship more than 40 friendship boxes filled with picture books and art supplies to Haiti.

The program has benefits both locally and globally. It encourages students to think beyond their own world and become interested in learning about others.

“When children get involved, they see what they can do and the power they have,” Kibbe said. “They feel really goodabout themselves.” 

The idea came to her back in 1986 while she was waiting to talk to a fourth grade class in Vermont. She was moved by a photo of a Cambodian refugee who had nothing. He was shirtless and holding a post card of the Empire State Building.

“I just thought of my five children and what a wonderful time we had when they were young,” she said. Kibbe could not let the image of the boy go and as she shared it with the class, the concept behind Ktki was born.

The children wanted to write to the little boy in the picture and Kibbe thought what a terrific idea. She instructed them to draw pictures because of the language barrier and she promised to see to it that the pictures would be delivered to the boy at the refugee camp.

“Within a week I received boxes of pictures for the little boy,” the woman said. “So to make good on my word, I picked up the phone and called Refugees International.”

Not only were they supportive of Kibbe's idea, they sent her there to deliver the books herself.

Since then, thousands of teachers have helped ship more than 10,000 student created picture books to children in more than 50 countries including China, Nicaragua, Kosovo,Kenya and Mexico.

Today, the program is still relatively inexpensive to implement – membership is $50 for 1-3 classrooms or $100 for an entire school. However, the shipping costs and custom taxes have made distribution a little more difficult.

“Our biggest challenge is that what used to be easy and inexpensive is not anymore,” said Corrine Wynne, a former teacher and Ktki volunteer.

But because Kibbe is "an idea person and an optimist," she said, nothing will get in her way. They are committed to finding new ways to distribute the friendship boxes, whether it is via individual ambassadors, retirees who are traveling abroad or students in high school and university programs.

This September, Ktki will celebrate its 20th anniversary as a non-profit organization. They don’t have any special plans as of yet.

“We want to focus on the fact that we are here in Yorktown and doing what we are doing,” Kibbe said. 

If anyone wants to help, call Corinne Wynne at the Ktki office 914-243-0305. They love to have volunteers come and help stuff envelopes and boxes!