Project MKC distributes seven millionth diaper to families in northeast Ohio
A Mahoning Valley family started volunteering their time to make the lives of children and their families brighter through Making Kids Count.
Fifteen years later, Project MKC has expanded and distributed seven million diapers to families in need in the northeast Ohio area.
Jenny Kennedy started working with local families for Making Kids Count in July of 2010.
In 2018, Kennedy formed Project MKC with two partners: her daughter, Shelly Marlowe and daughter-in-law, Jana Coffin.
“Our first program was inspired by an article Jenny had read about a woman who put on birthday parties for children at women and children shelters,” Marlowe said.
They started by hosting monthly celebrations at the Beatitude House locations in Mahoning, Trumbull and Ashtabula Counties for several years.
“Our organization is constantly growing and adapting based off of what needs our community and partners have,” Marlowe said. “Over time, we began talking to other area nonprofits, organizations and schools to find out where there were gaps in the programming and created programs to fill those voids.”
Project MKC has several programs, including the Basic Needs Bank, a comfort kit program and the Best Foot Forward Boot program, working together to bring resources to community members for free.
“We recently distributed our seven millionth diaper since our Basic Needs Bank began back in 2012 and the number of those in need continues to rise,” Marlowe said.
The Basic Needs Bank and all Project MKC programs exist to take a burden off of struggling parents.
“Diapers are considered a ‘luxury item’ and you cannot use WIC, Food Stamps or any other government assistance programs to purchase diapers,” Marlowe said. “Most families are not able to go to a big box store and purchase diapers at a bulk or discounted rate and are spending up to 60 cents per diaper.”
Marlowe said there’s a need for affordable diapers, impacting half of families of young children in Ohio.
“It can cause immense stress, impacts the health of the baby and causes a financial burden for families,” she said. “Our Basic Needs Bank includes monthly distribution of diapers, wipes, period supplies and toiletries.
Marlowe said this allows parents to spend their money on bills, gas and food while Project MKC provides essentials for the kids.
Next to the Basic Needs Bank, Project MKC’s biggest reach comes from the Comfort Kit program.
“Our Comfort Kit Program which impact 1,200 children a year,” Marlowe said. “Through this program, we provide duffel bags filled with age and gender specific essential items to children zero to 18 years old who are being removed from their homes and placed into foster care.”
Marlowe explained these children often leave their homes with little to nothing, and if they are able to take any belongings, they are typically placed in trash bags.
“Our Comfort Kits restore dignity to these children by giving them a quality bag filled with personal items they can bring to their new placement,” she said. “The last thing any child should be worried about when faced with the trauma of being removed from their home is the fear of their basic needs being met.”
The kits include toiletries, school supplies, a change of clothes, snacks, a blanket and other comforting essentials to help ease their transition into foster care.
“Our hope is that children who receive a Comfort Kit not only find a sense of security and normalcy in the items they’re receiving, but the understanding that someone loves them and is thinking of them during what can be an incredibly difficult and emotional time,” Marlowe said.
Learn more about Project MKC and sign up to volunteer online.
