The Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg recently donated three months of supplies to the Montgomery County Department of Social Services (DSS) for the children and the elderly in the department’s care.
The effort was initiated when Kelley Edmonson, the DSS director, spoke to the club about how the two organizations could partner to help meet the needs of children and the elderly in the community. The club agreed to work with the department to donate needed supplies and to supply labor where it was needed.
DSS then supplied Kiwanis with a list of immediate needs. The club voted to fund the requirements, to purchase them every three months, and to deliver them to the DSS office in Christiansburg.
The first delivery of three months’ worth of supplies for the children included diapers, two sizes, 30 packages, 25 count; baby wipes, 60 boxes, 80 count; pull-ups for girls,15 packages, 74 count; pull-ups for boys, 15 packages 66 count; children’s Tylenol, 18 bottles; children’s Motrin 18 bottles; and three Pack n Plays 3.
Items delivered for the elderly included Ensure, healthy snack packs, Tums, pill boxes, and flashlights. Every three months a similar delivery will be made at a cost to the club of almost $2,000.
Edmonson told club members upon delivery of the supplies that the DSS staff was overwhelmed with the amount donated to serve the needs of families in the community. She said, “It is a blessing. Now we can support so many families in the next coming months with this generosity. Thank you, Kiwanis. We look forward to the work we will do together for our families in need.”
Since 1949, the Kiwanis Club of Christiansburg has provided support to the local community. Funds for service projects are raised by the club with various fundraisers, grants, and donations, the largest of which is the Kiwanis Wilderness Trail Festival that will take place on Sept. 18, 2021.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.