✧ OUR MISSION ✧
CHALLENGING
CHILDHOOD POVERTY
IN GREATER CLEVELAND
Paula Conrad, President
Kathy Michael, President Elect
Sharon Skotko, Service Vice President
Sharon Seaton, Organization VicePresident
Sheila Gulick, Financial Secretary
Irene Bellomo, Recording Secretary
Cathy Harbinak, Corresponding Secretary
Mary Herrick, Immediate Past President
Monica Bruck
Carla Calevich
Katie Camaglia (Public Relations)
Laura Cengic
Kathy Cole
Mary Essig
Carol Fondran
Sharon Harwat
Cindy Hronek
Carol Janas
Julie Jerdonek
Lisa Leduc
Philis Muth
Liz Niehaus
Terri Parker
Karen Rebholz
Reverend Daniel Schlegel
For over 105 years, the Christ Child Society of Cleveland has worked to meet the growing needs of children in the Greater Cleveland community. We serve thousands of children annually and our nine programs are made possible through the generous financial support of donors and the generous volunteer support of our members.
We work directly with over 80 social service agencies, healthcare facilities, and schools to identify under-resourced, in crisis, and at-risk children who would benefit from our services.
The Christ Child Society, founded in 1887 in Washington, D.C. by Mary Virginia Merrick is a national non-profit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children in need. For over
130 years, the 5,500 members in 45 chapters across 22 states have been driven by faith,
love, and a desire to change the future for these deserving children.
The layette program, begun by Mary Virginia Merrick,
is the signature program of the National Christ Child Society and the program all 45 chapters have in common. Each chapter operates with the sanction
of the Bishop of the Diocese in which it is located. Local chapters are autonomous, elect their own officers, set their own dues, and select and finance their own programs.
Mabel Higgins Mattingly, a friend of Mary Virginia Merrick, and professor
at the Western Reserve University, School of Applied Social Sciences, established the Cleveland Chapter of the Christ Child Society in 1916, organized a layette program,
and served as its first president.
Our chapter was the fifth chapter founded within the National Christ Child Society. We respond to the changing needs of our community's children
by offering a variety of programs and services that are tailored to meet their needs. We are all guided by a common mission of seeing the Christ Child
in every child.
We are continually moved to action by the words of our founder, Mary Virginia Merrick, who said;
"Nothing is ever too much to do for a child."