Childrens Aid Club

Organizations - Children's Aid Club ("CAC") partnered with 25 organizations with budgets from $1,000 to $17,500 depending on their specific needs. Spending of budgeted funds is monitored by individual CAC member liaisons who keep in contact with the organizations. Examples include shopping for and assembling 24 layettes each month for at-risk newborns of low-income mothers; purchasing diapers and wipes for a local soup kitchen; purchasing car seats for newborns; sponsoring recognition and learning incentive programs at three schools in low-income areas; providing shoes, socks, underwear and a toy for 530 children through a Christmas Angel program; providing gas cards and food cards for families of children receiving cancer treatment; and providing funds for children's bereavement support and family trauma programs. An additional three organizations were helped through our Special Request Fund for special projects submitted by our members and approved by the Welfare Committee, the governing body and the general membership.

Holiday Baskets - Children's Aid Club ("CAC") assembled and distributed baskets for three holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. The families are submitted by the organizations we support. The Thanksgiving basket consisted of a book about the holiday and food cards worth $19,250. The amount of food cards given was based on the size of the family. Baskets were distributed to 102 families with 321 children and 192 adults. In September, a letter was sent to those on our mailing list as part of our Holiday Appeal. Donations were requested and donors were asked if they wished to adopt a family for Christmas shopping. From that mailing, 22 individuals and 35 members volunteered to adopt a family. It was suggested that gifts of clothing, two or three toys and a book be considered. In addition, food cards were included in each basket in the total amount of $15,150, and each child received a $25 Target card. In all, 81 families received Christmas baskets, including 253 children and 152 adults. For Easter, the baskets consisted of Easter candy and food cards worth $17,300. Each child also received a $25 Target card. In all, CAC provided holiday cheer for 281 families with 860 children and 512 adults.

Individuals - Children's Aid Club provided assistance to 54 families throughout the year, including 138 children and 85 adults by providing rent, utilities, car insurance payments, beds, household items, gas cards and food cards. CAC also provided shelter in a hotel for a single mother and her four children who were living in their car for three months.