Man who went through foster care now creates fun for families, raises money for agencies
PLEASANTON — After going through the foster care system, the now-founder of the world's biggest bounce park is using his business to bring fun to families and money to local foster care agencies.
Antonio Nieves is the 27-year-old founder of Funbox, and he talked to KPIX about the park and what inspired the venture.
"The first area we designed was to have a sense of discovery," said Nieves.
He said his inspiration and vision comes from his childhood experience. He grew up with nine siblings in the foster care system.
The 25,000 square foot continuous jumping zone is for kids and their parents to have fun, and he said proceeds go to something very dear to his heart which is local foster care agencies.
He said he wasn't with the same family throughout his childhood.
"I bounced around a lot and slept on friends' couches and lived with aunts and uncles," he recalled. "My sister actually went through the system in a much more gruesome way. It really just tore me to pieces, so that is where I started to find my motivation and somebody else to care for. I realized there are a lot of girls like my little sister that need my help," said Nieves.
Funbox is donating some of its proceeds to Agape Villages Foster Care in Contra Costa County.
Janet Kleyn, who is with Agape Villages, said there are about 53,000 children in California are in foster care at any one time.
"We want the kids to be able to be at home with their biological family, but sadly that is not always possible. If they can't be safe at home we want them to be safe somewhere else," explained Kleyn
It is all about giving kids and teens families.
One parent at the park who is also a permanent guardian for a toddler said, "I am really passionate about foster care and everyone needs a family."
Nieves considers himself a big little kid at heart. From foster care to franchise owner, he is considered a success story.
"It's been very positive," said Nieves. "I don't like to claim success. I honestly feel like it is my obligation to use the business to be able to drive a platform and make all aware there are other kids like me that need the help that can have a success story as well. There are not many kids who were former foster youth in their twenties who have had such a positive outcome as I have, and I am just trying to use it for the greater good. "