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A Kid Again - Northern Ohio
9347 Ravenna Road, Suite D, Twinsburg 44087 | 330-405-5437 | akidagain.org
Enrolled A Kid Again family members participate in a Soap Box Derby.
WHAT WE DO: A Kid Again strives to foster hope, happiness and healing in families who are raising children with life-threatening conditions — and has been doing so throughout northern Ohio since 2008. This chapter serves over 800 families who face daily challenges, fear, uncertainty and financial stress, due to the medically complex condition of their child.
A Kid Again’s cost-free, year-round events, known as Adventures, invite enrolled families to enjoy fun-filled experiences, such as Cedar Point, the Soap Box Derby, and Cavs and Guardians games, to name a few. These Adventures allow them to put illness aside, in order to be a “normal family”, while also creating a sense of community with other families “just like theirs.”
“When the life-threatening diagnosis is delivered, the entire family is affected, which is why siblings and parents are always included in A Kid Again Adventures,” says Christine Bucknell, executive director of the northern Ohio Chapter. “Many families tell us that, if not for A Kid Again, they couldn’t partake in [the] family fun time that most of us take for granted.”
COVID RESPONSE: During COVID-19, we could not do what we do best, which is ensuring families are social, active and positive. To give A Kid Again families — many of which have immunocompromised children — the feeling they were not alone and forgotten, we formed partnerships with the community and produced virtual Adventures like dance parties, science experiments, cooking and craft classes, and more. We also created Adventures in a Box to help break up the monotony of quarantine. Boxes were filled with family fun projects and mailed so that families could enjoy fun activities in the safety of their homes.
FUNDRAISING EVENTS: Each fall, we hold our annual gala/fundraiser at different locations and create a theme to match the venue. In doing so, we Illustrate the excitement that families enjoy with our ever-changing schedule of Adventures.
Our second largest fundraiser is our Adopt-a-Family for the holidays, which is an opportunity for donors to help us spread the magic of the season by enabling us to purchase gifts for all enrolled children, host a magical holiday party that the entire family can enjoy and give the gifts of hope, happiness and healing throughout the year.
HOW TO HELP:
Volunteer: We are expanding our Advisory Board and Young Professionals Associate Board with caring and compassionate executives. We also look for volunteers to help us deliver care-free, fun Adventures. Volunteers can assist us as Adventure Guides for all Adventures and fundraisers, while also participating in social media and administrative opportunities. Of course, donations are always appreciated too.
OVERVIEW
EMPLOYEES: 2 2021 REVENUE: $600,000 YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2008
SOURCES OF REVENUE:
Fundraisers: 48% Corporate: 18% In-kind: 12% Contributions: 11% Grants: 9% Other: 2%
LEADERSHIP
TOP EXECUTIVES & BOARD MEMBERS
Christine Bucknell,
executive director
Tim Martin,
board chair
STAFF
Julie Nagy, development specialist Meghan Hawkins, program and communications coordinator
ADVISORY BOARD
Michael Kaczka, vice chair
Brad Fisher, former chair
