In partnership with The Repository, every Monday, Stark Community Foundation highlights positive happenings in our community. Here’s to Good News Mondays!
Katie’s Kids, a local nonprofit that covers the cost of extracurricular items for Stark County kids whose caregivers are otherwise unable to afford them, has kicked off this year by surpassing a new milestone: serving 1,500 Stark County students.
Throughout the year, Katie’s Kids provides grants averaging $150 to Stark County children in grades K-12 who are identified by a network of community liaisons — teachers, counselors, religious leaders and social workers. The grant, in the form of a check or gift card, is given to the liaison to give to the child’s caregiver so they can purchase the item with their child.
Katie’s Kids was established in 2020 to honor the generous spirit and caring character of Kaitlyn Eckelberry after she passed away at 23 years old when a drunken driver crossed the center line and hit her vehicle head-on. She was a standout Hoover High softball player.
Following Katie’s passing, her parents, Jim and Lori, along with sisters Kristina and Kortney, were sure about one thing: they wanted to continue Katie’s legacy and ensure she was remembered for her vivacious personality, big heart and passion for helping those less fortunate feel loved.
It was through a colleague of Jim’s that they learned about Alice’s Kids, an organization based out of Virginia that provides financial assistance to children facing immediate needs. Jim and Lori talked to Alice’s Kids about replicating the program in Stark County, and the organization agreed. Drawing on Lori’s background in education and Katie’s passion for helping others, Katie’s Kids was established.
The immediate need for a child can vary from summer camp fees, shoes and sporting equipment to AP exam fees, senior pictures and instrument rentals. Providing direct assistance for items families can’t afford allows the child to feel more “normal” amongst their more fortunate peers.
If the application is approved, a check is written to the appropriate entity, such as a dance studio or music company, or a gift card is sent electronically to the liaison in less than 48 hours for the family to use. To ensure that the support is being used to enhance the self-esteem of children, the average grant is $150 per child and cannot be used for food, housing, transportation, medical care or legal fees.
Since Katie’s Kids started, direct financial assistance has supported more than 1,500 school-aged children in more than 60 schools throughout Stark County, all in Katie’s honor.
Recently, grants supported a new pair of shoes to replace one student’s worn-out pair and covered the cost of another student’s tuxedo for a choir concert.
“My student has to be one of the sweetest, most grateful young men I have encountered,” a choir teacher said as she reflected on the impact of the grant. “He teared up and hugged me when I told him the cost of his tuxedo could be covered. He just keeps saying ‘thank you’ over and over. Just thought you should know what a difference this organization is making!”
Learn more about the organization at www.katieskids14.org.
Stark Community Foundation helps individuals, families, businesses and nonprofits achieve their philanthropic goals through a variety of charitable funds and strategic initiatives. Ranked in the top 10% of community foundations in the country, the foundation and its family of donors have granted nearly $275 million to nonprofits since 1963. Learn more at www.starkcf.org.
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