The Hopkinsville Kiwanis Club’s Willie Renshaw Warm the Children Initiative has officially launched and at their Thursday meeting, Kiwanians shared how the community can help children stay warm during the winter.
Kiwanis Club President Nikki Chambers and Treasurer Dustin Thompson spoke about how the initiative works. Warm the Children started in 1995 and was led by the late Willie Renshaw, who brought the program to Hopkinsville to support local children.
Through the initiative, the club raise money to take families shopping so children can have warm clothes, such as coats, shoes, gloves and more, for the winter. During its inaugural year, Chambers says the club raised around $16,000 for the initiative and since then they have clothed more than 5,000 children and have raised over $400,000.
This year, Chambers says she hopes to raise at least $20,000 to clothe around 250 children. The club receives help from the Hopkinsville Salvation Army, Christian County Public School System and family resource centers when it comes to choosing children in the community who will benefit from the initiative.
Thompson says so far, they have raised $8,000 and is happy that the community sees the need.
Those interested in making a monetary donation do so at hopkinsvillekiwanis.com or by mail to P.O. box 470 Hopkinsville, Kentucky. From December 2 to December 8 the club will be shopping with kiddos for some cold weather attire.