The main offices of the Charles County Children’s Aid Society are in an unassuming building in Waldorf, sitting on Huntington Circle near Post Office Road. A cheerful sign out front depicts happy children, a fitting image for an organization dedicated to serving struggling families in Charles County.
A quick glance at the group’s website tells you that this building is the hub of a busy service organization. Offering clothing, food, and other aid to families with children under age 18, the Children’s Aid Society also puts together several annual assistance programs throughout the year.
Early Years
In the early 1930s, a group of Charles County women saw that their neighbors were having difficulty feeding and clothing their children.
It was 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression, and families everywhere were struggling to provide for their kids. Instead of ignoring the problem, the women created a casual “society” to help their neighbors out.
By 1957, the need in Charles County was too great for the informal society to meet independently. The Charles County Children’s Aid Society became a 501 (3) (c) non-profit organization that year, which allowed it to expand its work.
In the past, the aid society handled foster care and adoption services in Charles County. These duties were transferred to the county after the Department of Social Services was founded.
Current Services
Fast forward to the present, and the Children’s Aid Society offers many different kinds of assistance to Charles County families, from emergency financial assistance to help at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The society says it serves about 30,000 county citizens each year.
The organization’s day-to-day services for families include:
- Food pantry
- Clothing for babies, children, and adults
- Personal care items like soap, shampoo, and feminine hygiene items
- Baby essentials like diapers, formula, and food
The availability of items depends on donations, and families can access each of these services once every 90 days. For complete details on the process, visit the Children’s Aid Society’s website.
Special annual events help families at critical times of the year:
- Easter baskets of candy and activities for children age 3 to 9. In 2016, the society was able to distribute 100 baskets.
- Free lunch for kids age 18 and younger during summer break
- School supplies and backpacks for public school students in kindergarten through grade 12
- Thanksgiving baskets
- Christmas Toy Connection, a weeklong event that lets parents “shop” for a gift for their child
Get Involved
There are many ways for the community to get involved in the Children’s Aid Society’s work. The organization always accepts donations, whether of cash or of goods that can be donated to families. A “wish list” on the group’s website lists the most-needed items:
- Baby items
- New school supplies
- New toys
- Toiletries
- Children’s clothing
Donations of secondhand items are used at the society’s monthly summer yard sales.
Volunteers are also needed for special events and the organization’s day-to-day operations. Help is needed at the main office to sort and organize donations, stock food and clothing shelves, and perform general warehouse tasks.
You can learn more about getting involved in the Children’s Aid Society at http://childrens-aid-society.org/.
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