By Cindy Zomar, Contributing Writer
Photo/Cindy Zomar
Marlborough – When members of the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce gather for their business meeting on Thursday, June 13, they will have another purpose in mind other than networking. That evening the members will help to assemble “Kits for Kids” which will benefit children in need.
Jessica Medina, the General Manager of the Fairfield Inn and Suites, located at the Apex Center, where the meeting will be held, spoke about the event, entitled “Business with a Purpose.”
“Jay and Heather Johnston [Kits for Kids founders] are just so passionate about Kits for Kids that anyone can see that they are totally committed. Our staff here at the Fairfield spent an afternoon putting the kits together a few months ago, and felt it was such a worthy cause,” Medina said.
Kits for Kids recently obtained its nonprofit status and is continuing to expand the number of children helped each year. What started out as a simple gesture of kindness and charity to a local family has turned into a calling for the Johnstons, who have assembled over 10,000 plastic shoeboxes filled with essentials for children in foster care or medical facilities over the last 13 years. In 2018 alone, 2,600 kits were given to local children. Every kit includes at least a toothbrush and toothpaste, a comb or brush, soap, a book, seasonal clothing, an art supply, and, the signature item, a stuffed animal for comfort, regardless of the age group. Donors are encouraged to be creative with ideas for donations, but advised to exclude aerosol cans, breakables, razors, utility knives, vitamins, food, candy, or beverages.
“Hearing that children are often pulled into DSS custody with none of their personal belongings, it is heartwarming to know that at least these little boxes will be waiting for them in the car and will be just for them,” Medina said.
“Learning that the supplies for compiling the kits were running low, we thought it would be a great fundraiser to host as one of the ‘Business with a Purpose’ after-hours networking events with the MRCC. We are hoping for a really fabulous turnout, with everyone bringing a donation to stock their shelves,” she added.
The event, which will take place from 6-8 p.m., will also feature light refreshments, a raffle for door prizes, and musical entertainment. Admission is a donated item from the list provided by the Johnstons, or a check made payable to Kits for Kids. The full list of suggested items can be obtained from the MRCC, but, generally, for ages 0-3, it included basic hygiene items like baby shampoo, baby body wash, baby lotion, and diaper wipes, rattles or balls, toddler-safe dolls or vehicles, blankets, bibs, pacifiers, teethers, sippy cups, bottles, pjs, clothing, or board books. The age 3-5 group and 5-11 group both need hygiene items in travel sizes, toothbrushes, fun band-aids, dolls, balls, games, stickers, Playdoh or clay, flashcards, and age-appropriate toys and books, pjs, shoes, backpacks, purses, wallets, flashlights, etc. The 12 and up group items include deodorant, cosmetics and nail polish as well as other hygiene items, and also games, balls, age-appropriate craft items and books, crossword, Mad Lib, Word Find or doodle books, USB devices, calculators, phone accessories, and jewelry, among other things. When assembled, everything is packed into a plastic shoebox, and labeled by age and gender for distribution.
For more information on Kits for Kids, contact their website at KitsforKids.org, or call 833-548-7367. Opportunities exist for corporate volunteer events. For more information on the June 13 event, visit www.marlboroughchamber.org/event/business-after-hours-fairfield-inn.
