Operation Child In Need

Operation Child In Need helps any child in our community whose family is unable to provide the things that would help their educational, physical, or emotional development. Operation Child In Need distributes backpacks filled with school supplies as well as fulfilling requests for clothing, vision exams and glasses, food assistance, and other needs that cannot be met by the adults caring for these children.

Requests for assistance are made to Assistance League of Kansas City through school counselors and social workers. Operation Child In Need began in 1991 and is truly a unique program meeting important individual needs of children that are not being met through other assistance programs.

2022 – 2023 Program Review

1,542

Total clients served
Clients were served

845

Vouchers for supplies and services were provided

159,118

Dollars Spent
dddddddd

In 2022-2023, a total of 1,542 clients were served.

845 vouchers for supplies and services were provided
355 filled backpacks were given out
572 people, including 461 children, received Aldi gift cards
38 children and their parents received Holiday Angels items
Approximately 800 children received after-school snacks

Individual requests granted during past years include:

eye exams and glasses
portable cribs, diapers and baby supplies
helmets for children with special needs
Christmas gifts for a family whose gifts were stolen
birth certificate, clothing and shoes for a homeless boy so he could get a job
dental procedures
many requests for clothing for needy children in crisis such as homelessness, domestic violence, or removal from homes

Examples of requests received

These children just came into foster care and were the victims of severe medical neglect. One child is having serious dental procedures this week and Medicaid does not cover the cost of his anesthesia for the procedure. There is serious tooth decay and the child had never seen a dentist before coming into care at age 8. The foster family is requesting help to pay for the anesthesia, which will cost $100. The family will have to pay out of pocket to cover this, as it has to be done, but this will put a burden on them financially as the boys just came into care and so the foster family hasn’t received any financial help from the state of MO yet. Thank you for any help!

Operation Child in Need paid the $100 anesthesia invoice.

Amari recently came into our care. Amari is very stubborn and hard-headed but just needs some direction. She is coming from a family that could not wait to sign over their rights and she may feel lost and unwanted. Amari is needing a clothing voucher, especially with winter coming up and we are hoping someone can help us out. Thank you for everything.

Operation Child in Need provided a voucher for clothing and a coat.

Mother and girl looking, choosing pink dress.

We are asking for help for two brothers. The family would like help for the boys to be able to play basketball in an organized league this winter. They are first-time foster parents and want to give them this opportunity as they have never been able to do anything like this as they were removed from a situation where the children were confined to a room. They are suffering a lot of trauma and need this so that they can get some of their energy out and not be so aggressive toward each other.

Operation Child in Need paid the basketball league fees for the boys.