Pictured, from left, Linda Stepp, President Adams County Community Foundation; Thea Griffith, Superintendent Wilson Children’s Home; Sonya Meyer, Executive Director, Adams County Children Services; and Paul Worley, Vice- President, Adams County Community Foundation.
News Release
The Adams County Community Foundation continued its Neighbors Helping Neighbors initiative with a recent grant award to Adams County Children Services Foundation and Wilson Children’s Home to support their Christmas Gifts for At-Risk Children program
Every child deserves to experience the joy and magic of the holiday season. But for many children who have endured abuse, neglect, or other difficult circumstances, the holidays can be a painful reminder of what’s missing. Without the support of our community, these children—currently under the care of Children Services and living in their own homes, with relatives, in foster care, or in residential programs—may have no one to share in their holiday joy or provide a special gift to brighten their season.
“The number of children we serve changes frequently,” said Sonya Meyer, Executive Director of Children Services. “While many people think primarily of the children living at the Wilson Children’s Home, our responsibility extends far beyond that—we serve more than 200 children and families throughout our network. Our goal is to ensure that every child we serve experiences the joy of the season by receiving Christmas gifts.”
Dozens of children are in the Children Services kinship-relative program. These caregivers – called kinship caregivers – may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, family friends, or other individuals who share a significant emotional bond with the child. Kinship and relative placements are designed to provide children with a safe, stable, and familiar home environment during times of family crisis, abuse, neglect, or parental absence. Thea Griffith, Superintendent of Wilson Children’s Home elaborated, “When Children Services must remove a child from their home for safety reasons, the agency’s first priority is to identify and place the child with relatives or close family friends rather than in a traditional foster home. These kinship families accept the children and receive minimal financial support. We want to support these generous families to provide gifts on Christmas morning”.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Children Services Foundation in their mission to ensure every child in the care of Children Services receives Christmas gifts,” said Linda Stepp, President of the Adams County Community Foundation. “Our generous donors care deeply about helping children in need, and there’s no better time to share that generosity than during the holiday season.”
According to Paul Worley, Vice President of the Adams County Community Foundation, “This is the Foundation’s third grant in our Neighbors Helping Neighbors fall initiative, which focuses on three critical areas: helping at-risk children, feeding families in need, and supporting career pathways that lead to long-term employment and self-sufficiency. Through February 2026, or while resources last, the Foundation will match “dollar for dollar” every donation to our Neighbors Helping Neighbors campaign.”
Added Stepp, “We are grateful to the Children Services Foundation and to Sonya Meyer, Thea Griffith, and the entire Children Services staff for their dedicated service to children in need. We also extend a happy holiday season to all of our very generous donors who make grants like this possible.”
To learn more about the Adams County Community Foundation visit www.accfo.org or contact them at PO Box 185, West Union, Oh 45693, phone 937-544-8659
