Valrico Child Advocate Honored for Work With Homeless Kids

The Valrico youngsters who captured the nation's attention when he started a foundation to help homeless children has added another honor to his long list of accomplishments.

At the Kids in Need Foundation gala Sept. 19 in Minneapolis, Bonner received the first Elmer Award and served as the keynote speaker at the gala.

The maker of Elmer's Glue has partnered with the Kids in Need Foundation, whose mission is to ensure that every child is prepared to learn by having the right supplies on hand.

To honor young individuals who are supporting this mission and helping to make a positive difference in the lives of their peers across the country, Elmer’s, with the KINF, created a new awards program with Bonner as the first honoree.

Terri Brown, Elmer’s senior manager of corporate communications, said Bonner was a shoe-in for the first award.

At the age of 7, Bonner used his well-loved toy wagon to collect water and supplies in Tampa for victims of the 2004 Hurricane Charley. Concerned after seeing some homeless children in Tampa, a year later he formed the Little Red Wagon Foundation to help them.

Now 15, Bonner continues to aid underprivileged children through his foundation, which has distributed more than 4,000 backpacks (Zach Packs) across the country to homeless youth full of food, personal hygiene kits and other supplies. Bonner also includes a candy pack and small toy in each backpack to show the kids he is helping that he cares about their kid needs as well as their basic needs.

In addition, the Little Red Wagon Foundation has hosted holiday parties for homeless youth, victims of natural disasters, unwed mothers (under 21), emergency foster care kids, domestic violence shelters and others since 2006.

Bonner also has distributed more than 2,000 books to Title 1 (low-income) schools, students, migrant farmers and programs that serve them. Another 450 books have been distributed to homeless youth and foster kids.

He's donated new sports equipment to programs serving homeless youth and foster kids affected by natural disasters.

And he's hosted 23 parties for homelss youth at Build A Bear, Chuck E Cheese, Six Flags Amusement Parks, Putt Putt and other venues.

For the past five years, Bonner, with the help of other children, has organized 24-hour events in Tampa Bay, sleeping outdoors in cardboard boxes to raise funds, awareness and supplies for homeless youth.

The determined red-headed, blue-eyed youth then gained national attention when he walked more than 4,263 miles, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, to raise awareness of the plight of homeless youth.

Bonner's philanthropic efforts attracted the attention of Hollywood director David Anspaugh, whose film credits include "Hoosiers" and "Rudy."

Anspaugh subsequently made the film, "Little Red Wagon,"  based on Bonner's volunteer efforts. In the movie, Chandler Canterbury plays Bonner. The film also stars Anna Gunn, Daveigh Chase and Frances O'Connor.

Despite all of the notoriety, Bonner, who is homeschooled, remains focused on his original mission.

"Some kids like ot play baseball and some kids like to play football," said Bonner. "But I like to do community service work."

Anyone interested in donating to the Little Red Wagon Foundation can visit the website or send checks to Little Red Wagon Foundation Inc., PO Box 2532, Valrico, FL 33595.