Lima Senior High School Choir Masterworks performed at the Community For Kids Breakfast on Thursday morning.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
LIMA — The community of Lima gathered to “grow awareness together.”
Allen County Children Services hosted the annual Community for Kids Breakfast on Thursday morning at Veterans Memorial Civic Center. April is Child Abuse Prevention month. Agencies throughout the county were present to highlight the work of protecting youth in the area. Children Services also honored a few local individuals for the “Friend of Children Awards” and the “Family of the Year Award.”
Bluffton University Athletics; Theresa Schnipke, the superintendent of Allen County Board of Developmental Disabilities; and the Apollo Career Center Early Childhood Education Program won Friend of Children Awards. The Family of the Year was presented to Bonita Fraley’s family.
While Children Services Executive Director Sarah Newland presented the award to Schnipke, Newland highlighted the work the board has done help with the children in Allen County.
“Many of us who work in child welfare are aware that we are experiencing a placement crisis in Ohio,” Newland said. “This is overwhelmed Children’s Services due to a shortage of foster families, group homes and residential treatment facilities. At our request, Theresa’s leadership has overseen the creation of two multi-system new children’s homes in our county. Without the system stepping up and creating this partnership, we would have several children residing hours away and even likely out of state to receive the level of care they need.”
The event’s speaker, Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith, also highlighted the collaborative efforts of the community.
”When preparing to speak,” Smith said, ”Allen County Children Services sent a list of community partners that are a part of serving our local youth. There are 92 different organizations, ranging from local to county government, local systems, non-profits, private businesses and healthcare providers.”
Smith also said each organization will aid in creating a “brighter future” for the next generation.
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
