Alexis, Romi, Marni, and Berni Barta (ages 19, 17, 14 and 12, respectively) founded Kid Flicks in 2002. Kid Flicks is an organization that collects new and used videos and DVDs to donate to the Pediatric Departments of hospitals.

The idea for Kid Flicks came to the Barta sisters while they were "spring cleaning" in their own home. The sisters realized that others less fortunate than themselves could make good use of a lot of their "stuff.” That “stuff” included a collection of videotapes. The sisters decided to donate their used videos to a Pediatric Oncology department at a Los Angeles hospital, where their close friend was being treated for Leukemia. They knew their friend, Alexandra, had to spend many hours receiving chemotherapy treatments and that she passed the time watching videotapes.

When the Barta sisters dropped off their donation at the Cancer center, the staff confirmed that the first thing children ask for when they are in the hospital is a video or DVD to take their minds off their treatment. The Barta sisters' donation received such enthusiasm and appreciation that they decided to collect as many videos and DVDs as possible to donate to as many different hospitals as possible. They began by writing solicitation letters to their friends, family and movie studio executives; later they added "drives" at their schools and pediatrician's office. To date, the sisters have collected over 2200 videos and DVDs, which they have donated to 20 different hospitals in California (each hospital receives a "movie library" of 100 films). Their efforts have been met with an overwhelming response: the videos and DVDs have poured in, and the sisters have been spending their weekends making deliveries.

Alexis, Romi, Marni, and Berni volunteer in other ways as well. Before Alexis went to college, both she and Romi did volunteer work at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for over 2 years. Marni and Berni raise funds for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society in support of their friend, Alexandria, who helped inspire the sisters’ Kid Flicks program. Marni and Berni also volunteer at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, since another close friend of theirs, Tessa, has diabetes.

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