Church collecting supplies, cash for group protecting homeless, abused, neglected kids

WARREN

Betty Strawderman fills the role of an earthly guardian angel who nurtures children physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

The children come from situations such as homelessness, sexual and physical abuse, drug addiction and neglect. Currently, she has legal custody of 22 children, ranging in age from 18 months to 16 years old.

Strawderman empathizes with the plight of at-risk children because when she was 17 years old, she was in an abusive situation in her family. “I was one of those kids,” she said.

In 1975, as a high school senior, she was emancipated. “I got a job and a home. I also got married but it wasn’t a marriage of love,” she said.

As a young mother living in Mahoning County, she witnessed young girls “selling themselves” because they had left home for various reasons. “I told them they didn’t have to be sex slaves for their keep and clothes,” she said. Strawderman offered three girls, from 13 to 15 years old, a place to stay. Two knocked on her door that night followed by the third the next day. A week later, two boys sought refuge with her. “They heard about me through word of mouth,” she said. Eventually, the boys’ grandparents took them in. Strawderman also took custody of her siblings.

That was the beginning of what morphed into Betty’s Angels.

Church Hill United Methodist Church, 189 Churchill-Hubbard Road, Liberty, is collecting items and monetary donations for the organization through Sunday.

Read more about the group in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.