Making Kids Count (MKC), a small nonprofit, has served as a “pantry” for social service agencies locally for nearly 10 years, and has now moved into a larger facility.
Recently, a ribbon cutting was held to open the new Boardman location for Project MKC on Southern Boulevard. The organization provides almost 40 local community and social service centers with diapers and various other children’s items.
The goods, after being distributed to social service organizations in Columbiana and Ashtabula counties, are then given to needy families across the region being served by these organizations.
Project MKC’s Colleen Eisenbraun explains that the group’s mission is to fill in the gaps in services provided by social agencies. One example of a gap item would be diapers. Most social service agencies on their own are not in a position to provide diapers to their clients, although a significant portion of those clients need them.
The project depends on donations and grants to purchase supplies. Local fundraising activities are also used to augment Project MKC finances. Brochure printing provides a means of showing prospective sponsors why their donation is important and how it will be used.
Launched in 2010, Project MKC in the beginning supplied around 3,000 diapers per month, that number has grown to 34,000 diapers sent to various agencies for distribution each month.
