“Sweet Sweats for Love” drive collects clothing for foster kids

Since 2015, Phillippi-Whitney Communications and Sibcy Cline Realtors have teamed up to provide suitcases, gloves and shoes for area foster children.   

“This year promises to be even bigger and better as we collect new hoodies and sweatpants for area foster children from ages 5 to 18 with our ‘Sweet Sweats For Love’ campaign,” organizer Julie Whitney said. “There is a tremendous need for teenage girls and boys hooded sweatshirts and sweatpants. All of the clothing must be new, ideally with tags intact. Our goal is to collect more than 1,000 sweatshirts and sweatpants to be distributed to the foster kids throughout Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Southeastern Indiana and Dayton.”

Brian Gregg from Hamilton County Job & Family Services, Pam Sibcy from Sibcy Cline and Julie Whitney of Phillippi-Whitney Communications.

Pam Sibcy, Vice President of Marketing for Sibcy Cline, said, “We heard about the need for a drop-off location back in 2014, and jumped on board from day one to help collect the suitcases in all of our 23 locations throughout Cincinnati, Dayton, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana. But ‘Cases For Love,’ ‘Gloves For Love,’ and ‘Sweet Soles For Love’ became much more than a suitcase, winter gloves or shoe collection to us. Our offices became very passionate about the needs of foster children, and our 1,200 realtors started making their own fliers and personally collecting items from their clients regionally. Our collection boxes in our branch offices overflowed with donations! Once again, everyone at Sibcy Cline is looking forward to collecting both hooded sweatshirts and sweatpants and excited to be able to support the needs of the children in foster care!”

Adds Moira Weir, director of Hamilton County Job and Family Services, “Children’s Services agencies across the state have had a large increase in the number of children coming into care during the past two years, partially because of the region’s heroin epidemic. Keeping up with their needs can be difficult. A drive like this really helps and can make a difference to children throughout our region. All of the sweatpants and hooded sweatshirts will be distributed by Hamilton County Job & Family Services and other partnering organizations serving our foster children, and will be dispersed on an ongoing basis as we receive them throughout the collection period. These small donations will make a big difference in the lives of our children!”

The “Sweet Sweats For Love” Drive kicks off Tuesday, January 2nd and ends on Wednesday, February 14th, in commemoration of Valentine’s Day – a day that celebrates love for others. Citizens throughout the Tri-state are invited to drop off new hooded sweatshirts and sweatpants for teenage boys and girls at the 23 Sibcy Cline locations throughout Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Dayton and Southeastern Indiana between 9 a.m. and  5 p.m., Monday through Friday during this 6-week time period.

 

by Ashley Woods

Filed Under: News

Tagged: child care, Children's Services, clothing, cold, department of hamilton county job and family services, department of job and family services, foster care, foster child, foster children, foster parents, foster youth, public assistance, sweatpants, sweats, sweatshirts