SCHNECKSVILLE, PA  – KidsPeace has launched a spring fundraiser that pays tribute to the dedication of a longtime associate while seeking assistance for the practical needs of children in its foster care and residential programs.

The fundraising effort, called “Mo’s Closet,” builds on an initiative begun at KidsPeace’s foster care office in South Portland, ME following the passing of KidsPeace associate Maureen “Mo” Harrington in July 2021. Her colleagues remember Mo as an exceptional colleague and friend who always kept the organization and the kids and families it serves close to her heart.

In tribute to her memory, Mo’s family and friends raised more than $10,000 in donations to KidsPeace’s Maine foster care programs. The funds were used to create “Mo’s Closet” – a donations room at the South Portland office stocked with items that support the safety, health, hygiene and everyday living for the children and families that KidsPeace serves.

Now, says Missy Hartney, KidsPeace’s director of fundraising, the effort is being extended throughout the KidsPeace network. “Mo’s story of dedication to our kids is one that resonates beyond the people and community she served. She exemplified the commitment of associates in all of our programs to helping those in need. And just as in South Portland, all our programs have clients with the basic needs that Mo’s Closet was created to address. So, we’re asking our donors to help create virtual Mo’s Closet capabilities for all our programs, from Maine to Georgia to Indiana,” she said.

 

Hartney notes that items included in Mo’s Closet can include jackets, hats, mittens, clothing for all ages, toys for children, hygiene products, infant supplies, household items and nonperishable foods. In the virtual fundraising effort donors can designate their gift to a specific program location or to a general Mo’s Closet fund, and office staff in the various KidsPeace locations will be able to draw on those resources to meet specific needs of their population.

The “Mo’s Closet” fundraiser has a goal of $20,000. Donations can be made at the KidsPeace Facebook page or through this special QR code:

Since 1882, KidsPeace has been building on its expertise to give hope, help and healing to children, adults and those who love them. Through its comprehensive range of residential treatment programs; accredited educational services; unique psychiatric hospital and foster

care and community-based programs, KidsPeace is dedicated to helping people connect, transform and overcome their challenges to ensure a stable future, transition to adulthood and gain independence. Since its doors opened, more than 300,000 children have participated in one of the multitude of programs KidsPeace offers.

For additional resources or more information on how to get involved, become a foster parent or make a donation, please visit www.kidspeace.org. Follow us at www.facebook.com/kidspeace.org or on Twitter @KidsPeace.