​Thousands of children are removed from their parents’ care and placed with foster families or relatives in greater Cincinnati each year.
 
As the opioid crisis accelerated these cases, Haile Foundation Vice President Christine Bochenek encouraged Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati to create a program to serve the unmet needs of these children and their caregivers. Assistance League’s Kinship Foster Care Program was established in 2017 and  has provided diapers, socks, wipes and undergarments for 2,128 children.
 
The items are distributed through Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Burnet and Liberty Township locations, where children are evaluated before they’re placed in foster or kinship care. In 2019, the organization partnered with Jack’s Closet in Anderson to provide these items as a supplement to gently used clothing offered to foster and kinship families.
 
“While the pandemic slowed distribution for a short time, our program has remained active and committed to serving local children and their caregivers,” said Leann Kuchenbuch, volunteer and vice president of hospital services for Assistance League.
 
The supplies alleviate a small burden for caregivers, who often accept parental duties with little time to prepare.
 
The program is the work of sixteen volunteers who procure, inventory, pack and deliver items to the three locations.
 
“I spend my time working on this program because when I go home, I know in my heart of hearts that I’m doing something good for people in need,” said Kuchenbuch.
 
Primary funding for the program is provided by the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr., Foundation and Elsa Heisel Sule Foundation. The program is also aided by individual contributions, which can be made by using this link. 
 
People interested in becoming an Assistance League volunteer can email [email protected].
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Since 1998, Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati has served the unmet needs of 64,500 individual women and children in their time of need. The all-volunteer organization has earned the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency for eight consecutive years and works closely with greater Cincinnati public and parochial schools, colleges, hospitals and women’s shelters to fulfill the mission of Transforming Lives through Community Programs.

​School resource coordinators say their low-income middle school students desperately need hygiene supplies, and Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati volunteers are stepping up to the call.
 
“Every student in my school needs clothes and they also need hygiene products, due to their family’s financial situation,” said Monica Keenon, resource coordinator at Ethel M. Taylor Academy.
 
Keenon and others participated in a survey to assess the needs of local children during the pandemic.
 
As a result, Assistance League volunteers packed 10,000 sets of toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant and sanitary pads for every student in grades 4 to 6 at 43 schools where the need is greatest.
 
“Your gift brings hope, especially to our children,” Principal Halsey Mabry at St. Francis Seraph School wrote in a letter. “We are very grateful for your generosity.”
 
The hygiene kits are supplied in addition to new clothing that was distributed at the start of the school year.
 
“Since we started Operation School Bell® more than 20 years ago, 40,000 children have visited our facility to be outfitted for new school clothes,” said Assistance League Chapter President Audrey Stehle. “We missed their smiling faces this year, but we’re happy to know we could still help them with clothing other supplies they need.”
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In previous school years, elementary students relished the “shopping” field trip to Assistance League headquarters. Paired with a volunteer, each child received personal attention while being measured and sent home with two new shirts, pants (altered when needed), a fleece jacket, belt, socks and underwear.
 
Primary funding for Operation School Bell is provided by the Charles H. Dater Foundation and the Woodward Trust.
 
Clothing, health and supplies are three of five needs areas the organization is striving to address for children. Hunger and literacy are also getting attention from Assistance League volunteers. They have donated almost 3,000 books to children at local schools since 2020.
 
In the past year, ALGC members and volunteers donated 12,500 hours valued at $387,000. People interested in becoming an Assistance League volunteer can email [email protected]. Contributions can also be made on the organization’s website, www.assistanceleaguecincinnati.org.
Since 1998, Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati has served the unmet needs of 64,500 individual women and children in their time of need. The all-volunteer organization has earned the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency for eight consecutive years and works closely with greater Cincinnati public and parochial schools, colleges, hospitals and women’s shelters to fulfill the mission of Transforming Lives through Community Programs.