Assistance League, Newport Elks and Other Local Organizations Partner to Keep Kids Warm This Winter

Assistance League of Greater Cincinnati, Newport Elks Lodge #273, Welcome House of Northern Kentucky, Campbell County Public Library and Redwood have partnered to bring warmth and comfort to children this holiday season. More than a dozen children received warm coats, scarves, gloves and books to help them through the cold winter months during a distribution event held at Redwood on December 11.

Audrey Stehle and Gail Suiter distributed warm winter coats at Redwood Dec. 11, 2021.

Newport Elks received a Spotlight Grant for $2,000 and partnered with Assistance League, a volunteer-led organization that serves the unmet needs of women and children in their time of need, to provide 60 coats and other necessary winter gear for children in the community. The remaining coats and winter gear not distributed at the event will be handed out to children and families through Assistance League’s efforts in the coming weeks.

​“Assistance League has provided clothing to more than 80,000 families since its inception, and this year we have seen an increase in demand of winter items for children in need,” said Audrey Stehle, chapter president. “We’re grateful for this opportunity through the Newport Elks grant that allows us to help meet the needs of children in our community.”

Newport Elks also partnered with the Campbell County Public Library and Redwood, a nonprofit that serves children and adults with multiple disabilities, to use some of the grant funds to purchase books to give to the children to take home and to help fill the shelves of a new children’s library Redwood is building. (Book donations are still needed for Redwood’s library, view the Amazon Wish List: https://a.co/7gNI0mL).

“The Newport Elks are excited to partner with other organizations to put the Spotlight Grant money to good use throughout the Northern Kentucky region,” said Donna Grey, grants writer for Newport Elks. “The ability to help so many children with the simple gift of a warm winter coat, as well as to provide books to encourage reading, is another example of the community-wide support the Newport Elks provide throughout the year.”

Welcome House, which works to end homelessness by providing homeless individuals and families shelter and housing among other resources, provided transportation to Redwood for the children and families attending the distribution event.