About

Kathleen Michael, President
Cathy Harbinak, President Elect
Kathy Cole, Service Vice President
Monica Bruck, Organization Vice President
Sheila Gulick, Financial Secretary
Sharon Skotko, Recording Secretary
Yvonne Schiffer, Corresponding Secretary
Paula Conrad, Immediate Past President

Reverend Daniel Schlegel

For over 107 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
135 years, the 5,500+ members in 51 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."