OUR MISSION
To foster a personal love of Christ
expressing itself in service for needy children regardless of race, color or creed.
Programs
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Children Served by our organization
6,473 children served last year- 1,427 Infant Layettes
- 789 "My Stuff" Bags for shelters
- 516 Literacy Programs
- 1,160 School Uniform sets (2 uniforms, socks, underwear)
- 2,169 Winter Coats
- 159 Cribs (new cribs with mattresses)
- 153 Twin Beds (new frame & mattress sets)
- 100+ other programs/services
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Every week in Ohio . . .
3 babies die in unsafe sleep environments. -
Links
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Libraries -
School Uniforms
Pack 'n Plays®
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"Nothing is ever too much to do for a child."
-Mary Virginia Merrick, Founder of the Christ Child Society -
For 100 years, the Christ Child Society of Cleveland has worked - and continues to work -
to meet the growing and changing needs of the children in the Greater Cleveland community. Through the generous financial support of donors and the generous volunteer support of our members, we have been able to serve thousands of children every year.
We work directly with social service agencies, healthcare facilities, and schools within our communities to identify under-resourced, in crisis, and at-risk children who would benefit from our programs and services. -
Layettes
Our layette is a loving bundle of infant clothing, hooded towel and washcloth, blankets and a Goodnight Moon book swaddled in a cozy blanket.
The layette bundles are assembled by our members and then distributed monthly to social service agencies and healthcare facilities. -
"My Stuff" Bags
The "My Stuff" Bags program began in 1993 to serve the needs of children in shelters, children who more often than not arrive with nothing other than the clothes they are wearing. The reusable, colorful bags are filled with gender and size specific items of clothing, underwear, socks and hygiene items. Age specific tablets, crayons/markers and a lap blanket for the younger children are included. "My Stuff" bags are assembled and distributed monthly as needed in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties.
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Preschool Reading Enrichment
Our preschool programs began in 2010 and we serve two locations - Parmadale Head Start and Merrick House. Our members read to the children and help them to develop a love of words and a love for books. Our goal is to create a love of reading, stimulate the imagination, and spark a desire to learn.
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Elementary School Libraries
Early childhood literacy is a building block for success academically, in the work place, and in life.
Our library programs have been existence for many years. We currently staff, fund and manage two elementary school libraries, one at St. Francis School and one at St. Rocco School. We read to the younger children, help students choose books, teach them library etiquette and how to use the library. The members encourage reading as a pleasurable activity that will instill the desire to learn, build vocabulary and language skills. -
School Uniforms
Because numerous schools in the Cleveland area (including the Cleveland Municipal School District) require that their students wear uniforms, we provide a uniform gift certificate program for elementary school children. Each certificate entitles the student to receive two uniforms, one package of socks, and one package of underwear.
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Winter Coats
The Cleveland area can be very cold in the winter and many children do not have adequate winter coats to keep them warm. The Christ Child Society distributes new winter coats to children in the community through social service agencies. Members pack and prepare the winter coats for distribution before the winter season. Donated hats, mittens and gloves are included with the coats. Last year we distributed over 2,000 coats.
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Beds
The Christ Child Society provides vouchers for new twin beds and
Pack 'n Plays® for children who do not have a safe place to sleep.