Kids on the Block is an education program that uses the power of puppetry to help children understand and accept differences in one another and learn skills to stay safe and healthy. We believe children learn best by example. Puppets teach children important life skills in a unique and interactive way they remember. Each year, we present to over 70,000 children at school throughout the Portland/Vancouver metro area. Kids on the Block is an international organization with associations in 36 countries worldwide and more than 1,000 programs in the United States. Portland has the largest Kids on the Block program in the United States. During the last five years, Portland Kids on the Block has grown tremendously, quadrupling our services to children. Kids on the Block has been serving the Portland Metro area for over 20 years and has recently expanded its programming into the Vancouver area. Over 70 volunteer puppeteers, donating an average of 100 hours each, performed 550 shows in 179 public and private schools. Last year, Kids on the Block received and responded to over 2,000 letters and e-mails from children who saw our shows. Almost 700 children asked for help, involving: drug & alcohol abuse, bullying and school safety issues, physical and sexual abuse. With assistance from Kids on the Block, these children and their families were connected to appropriate community resources to help them resolve problems and start the healing process.