A Kid Again is growing! This summer, A Kid Again opened its first outside-of-Ohio chapter in Indianapolis, Indiana.
A Kid Again, a non-profit that provides monthly adventures to children with life-threatening illnesses in central, northeast and southwest Ohio, recently announced the launch of the Indiana Chapter in Indianapolis, the first chapter outside of Ohio. The organization also announced the expansion of their leadership staff as they move forward with plans to grow the organization to other states.
A Kid Again’s Indiana Chapter is led by executive director Katie Pappas. Pappas brings a wealth of knowledge to the non-profit, having served as Director of Development at the Indiana State Chapter of JDRF. As the executive director for the Indiana Chapter, she will be responsible for board and volunteer development, building relationships with corporate partners and planning Adventures.
The Indiana Chapter of A Kid Again has already started building long-lasting partnerships with Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital and Riley Children’s Hospital and plans to serve families by offering a variety of unique Adventures this summer and fall.
“We frequently receive inquiries from families and organizations outside of Ohio seeking support for children with life-threatening illnesses,” said Oyauma Garrison, national president and CEO of A Kid Again. “We are thrilled to open the Indiana Chapter under Katie’s leadership to provide our programs and services to deserving families in the Indianapolis area.”
In addition to the launch of the Indiana Chapter, A Kid Again also recently hired Lena Crider as their national vice president and director of development and marketing at their Columbus headquarters. This new position will focus on national fundraising and marketing efforts, helping the organization continue to expand into neighboring states and eventually across the country.
Crider has a wide variety of experience fundraising for other non-profit organizations, as well as helping them grow. With more than 14 years of professional fundraising involvement, Crider has held positions with local and national organizations whose missions similarly align with A Kid Again, to serve children and families.
“With the addition of Lena to the national office, we will be able to raise the necessary funding to provide programing for children and families in other states not currently being served,” Garrison said.
Besides welcoming Crider to A Kid Again, four new board members have joined the organization. Joseph Hamrock, president and CEO of NiSource, Nicole Wilson, director of strategic sourcing for Carnival Cruise Lines, Dennis Hoffman, assistant general counsel for Grief Packaging and Ernie Sullivan, president and CEO of Sullivan Staffing Strategies now serve on the national board of directors for A Kid Again.
“This organization and those who work on its behalf strive to enable children with life-threatening illnesses an opportunity to live in the truest sense,” Wilson said. “What A Kid Again does is magic and a blessing. I’m honored to be a part of this organization.”
Read More: Local Spotlight: A Kid Again
Hamrock, Wilson, Hoffman and Sullivan each bring a variety of unique skills to A Kid Again, including strategic planning, fiscal management, development and marketing. These skills are essential in continuing to raise awareness about the organization and enhance the lives of participating families.
These additions to the A Kid Again team mark a strategic shift within the organization to raise the national profile of the non-profit. In the fall, it was announced that Garrison would be joining the organization as national president and CEO. During the announcement, A Kid Again Co-Founder Jeffrey Damron stated that he would transition to executive vice president of the organization.
“Under the leadership of Jeffrey, A Kid Again has become an integral non-profit that has improved the lives of thousands of children and their families,” Garrison said. “We plan to take these fundamental principles and enrich the lives of thousands of additional people across the country and eventually the world.”
ABOUT A KID AGAIN
A Kid Again has served almost 52,000 families across Ohio since 1995. The organization’s mission is to foster hope, happiness and healing for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. A Kid Again works to create a communal and interactive environment for families to experience adventures together. Staff members and volunteers strive to go beyond activities, providing comprehensive, practical support to help families cope with the extended effects of life-threatening illnesses. For more information about A Kid Again, please visit www.AKidAgain.org.
