Children's Clothing Center

It's time to get packing

Our members have been packing uniform orders since the middle of August.  Please check our website homepage each week for a packing update. We are going to try packing the next few weeks on Saturday mornings from 9-11am. We are hoping to get all the orders packed and not have to meet after work on Mondays. We have been packing on Monday nights. This does hit the dinner hour but many of our members wanted to come directly from work. For many of our younger members with families at home, this has become pizza night.  The Moms/members get a break from cooking and help our children (and our packers) in need at the same time.  We appreciate all you do.

Several youth groups have helped us pack and have done a wonderful job.  If you have children or friends looking for service hours, we would love to have their help.  We do request that they be accompanied by an adult. 

Our members' friends have also joined us on packing nights.  We welcome all friends.  There are great places to eat right in the plaza if you want to plan a girls night of service.

For Clothing Center packing questions contact Marcy Smith This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Kathy Kuebel This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Join our delivery team

Since August, we have delivered about 800 clothing orders to the schools.  We really need extra help during these busy months.  Deliveries can be made anytime during the week, but must be delivered during the school day hours.  Choose when you want to pick up your orders, what schools you would like to deliver to, how often you would like to deliver.  Call Alice Gross to join the delivery team  330-836-8991

History of the Christ Child Society of Akron Clothing Center

The Clothing Center has become the largest service project for our chapter. This service provides warm, new clothing to school age children upon recommendation of teachers and counselors. It began in 1970 with Ruth Stiller as chairman and Clara Larko as co-chairmen. Mrs. Theresa Haney of the Akron Public Schools offered some space as a distribution center at the Administration Annex Building. A social service contact, Mrs. Bertie Sass, was assigned as our contact. The Children's Clothing Center opened in November 1970. Clothing deliveries and schedules were coordinated by Jo Witt. Early in the project there were six sub-committees: telephone, clothing collection, mending, ironing, shoes, and delivery. Shoes were provided until 1973 when the MacIntire Project Shoes program began.

Over the years the center has been located in various places. In 1972 it moved to the Miller Building (which is now the Ott Staff Development Center ), in 1980 to Case Elementary School, in 1991 to Litchfield Middle School followed by Perkins Middle School in 1992. In 1999 the Akron Public Schools informed us that the center would have to move due to their need for more classroom space. At that time the center was temporarily moved to Annunciation - St. John School for a year while a search committee looked for a permanent location. In April 2000 a five-year lease was signed for the CCS Center to be located at the Wallhaven Plaza and the center opened there for the 2000 - 2001 school year. The Dedication and Open House at the new center took place on September 24, 2000 with Father Paul Rosing officiating. At this point our Christ Child budget was revised to add a line-item for the operational expenses of running the CCS Center.

During the early years of this project gently-worn clothing items were distributed. Since 1977 almost everything given to the children has been newly-purchased clothing. Over the years over 50,000 school children have been provided new clothing including underwear, socks, shirts, pants or skirts, winter coats, hats, and gloves. In the mid-1990's several elementary schools began to require uniforms and these were then provided for those students. The program is currently handled by Kathy Kuebel and Marcy Smith (co chairs), Rita Burkley (buyer)and Alice Gross (deliveries).