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New community group ‘makes kids count’
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Neighbors | Submitted .Being a new non-prfit organization, Making Kids Count has been fundraising in many creative ways to continue to provide for area kids and their families. During a recent Making Kids Count garage sale, Jana Hammer-Coffin (left) and Shelly Marlowe proudly showed off their garage sale signs.
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Neighbors | Submitted .Officially, the Making Kids Count team includes Jana Hammer-Coffin, Jenny Kennedy, and Shelly Marlowe. However, the organization is truly a family affair, and a few extra faces are familiar ones at Making Kids Count events. The official and unofficial MKC members are, from left, Jana Hammer-Coffin, Justin Coffin, Scott Kennedy, Jenny Kennedy, Shelly Marlowe, and Pat Marlowe.
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Neighbors | Submitted.During the Making Kids Count first-annual golf outing on Aug. 6, co-founders Jana Hammer-Coffin (left) and Shelly Marlowe posed near the banner that explained their mission to make the lives of area children and their families a little brighter by focusing on small deeds.
By SARAH FOOR
In July 2010, a local family started a non-profit organization with a simple goal: to make the lives of children and their families a little brighter.
The team of Making Kids Count, which consists of Jenny Kennedy, Shelly Marlowe and Jana Hammer-Coffin, achieves its mission by focusing on the small joys in life.
“It all began with a magazine article that talked about a charity that performed birthday parties for kids at homeless shelters,” explained Marlowe. “We loved that idea, and the ideas started to blossom for how we could offer that sort of service to those in the Mahoning Valley.”
Every month, the team at Making Kids Count visit Beatitude House at its Warren and Youngstown branches to throw birthday parties for the children at each facility. The ideas have continued to flow for the organization and Making Kids Count now donates baskets of newborn essentials to the Pregnancy Help Center in Boardman and organize end of treatment parties for kids at Akron Children’s Hospital.
The team is currently working on volunteer programs in the Boardman and Austintown school districts and looking to expand in local schools.
“It’s been a crazy first year, but in the absolutely best way,” shared Hammer-Coffin on the partnership.
The glue of family keeps the team together, with Jenny Kennedy being the mother of Marlowe and mother-in-law to Hammer-Coffin.
“We work well together and complement each other and outside support and interest has been amazing even in this tough economy,” Hammer-Coffin added.
Since their 501(c)(3) nonprofit certification, the team stays busy with outreach with fellow Valley charity organizations and fundraising events like golf outings, garage sales and craft shows. The Making Kids Count office is a flurry of paperwork and out-of-the-oven cupcakes for upcoming birthday parties.
As the organization expands, the team hopes to provide a strong network of opportunities for volunteers and continue to brighten lives of local kids and families.
It’s a passion for the team because it is personal.
“I grew up in a family that didn’t have much extra money to spend and it was truly a blessing when a PTA would provide a box of food for the weekend. Those little things mean so much to people who don’t have them. As simple as it is, providing those moments of joy mean a lot,” explained Marlowe.