Neediest Kids is proud to be the host charitable organization for the Nationwide Tour's stop in Maryland. Neediest Kids is a nonprofit organization that builds a bridge to success by giving thousands of low-income, at-risk students the basic essentials they need to get the education they deserve. Those essentials include: eyeglasses, food, coats, clothing, uniforms, personal care items, and school supplies. Neediest Kids helps students in grades K-12 in ten local area school districts, including Montgomery, Prince George's, Frederick, Washington DC, Archdiocese of Washington, Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, and Loudon.

Founded in 1972 by the leadership at WMAL Channel 7, Neediest Kids meets real needs with immediate help that has a lasting impact. Education is the key to breaking the often intractable cycle of poverty. A public education can total $12,000 a year, a cost that is borne by the entire community because we understand how crucial it is to educate our children. How tragic would it be to waste those dollars, all for a lack of a pair of eyeglasses, scientific calculator, or winter coat? But imagine the outcome if that child does receive the basic necessities he needs. The child absorbs knowledge and thrives, his family is uplifted by the child's success, and our community is enriched and improved. When that child is an adult, because he has obtained a stellar education, the chances are far greater that now the next generation will not need Neediest Kids' help. All from a small but indispensable investment in a new pair of shoes or shampoo and soap.

Thirty-seven percent of all students in the DC Metro Area qualify for a free or reduced priced meal, an indicator of poverty. That means more than a quarter of a million children struggle to get the basic necessities they need to stay in school and succeed in school. Proceeds from this event will make it possible for Neediest Kids to help more children overcome the everyday barriers to academic success.