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Every time a volunteer helps a needy family buy new winter clothing under the Warm the Children program, there is a memory.

When Violeta Kellersohn was helping a family with three children shop for their clothing one year shortly before Christmas, the 6-year-old girl asked her older brother why they couldn’t have a Christmas tree. The innocent question touched Kellersohn so much that she organized her co-workers to donate a tree complete with lights, ornaments and presents. 


Another year, Kellersohn witnessed tears in a mother’s eyes as her 12-year-old son adroitly translated and negotiated the shopping trip. The mother didn’t speak English and the boy had to interpret while also helping his younger brother select clothing.

“The only thing the mother could say was ‘He’s a very good boy,’” Kellersohn said. “She was so proud of her son, she was crying.”


Volunteer shopper Lizzie Burt remembered the positive spirit of a single mother who was visually impaired and juggling her family with going back to school.

“She didn’t let her handicap interfere with being a great mom. She impressed me so much,” Burt said. “She was so upbeat. I thought it was the least I can do to help them pick out clothes.”


Warm the Children has been giving youngsters of needy families warm coats, mittens, hats and other clothing for 13 years. It’s time to reach out to readers for monetary donations to support the program.

The torch for running Warm the Children was handed over by the Ann Arbor News, which closed its doors last summer, to AnnArbor.com.

The program hopes to help up to 2,500 children this year, said Kori Isaac, promotions and events manager for AnnArbor.com.

School social workers furnish the names of the children in need and AnnArbot.com coordinates the army of volunteer shoppers. A coupon to make a donation appears in today’s paper.
Every dollar raised is used to buy clothing, with the Ann Arbor News and now AnnArbor.com covering overhead costs and administration.

This year’s fundraising goal is $250,000. About 250 volunteer shoppers will go with the families to a local store to buy the clothing, helping them find the deals and guiding the selections. Each child is allowed $90 for clothing, which usually includes underwear and socks, hats and gloves and often pants, shirts and coats..


Burt said she began as a volunteer shopper and financial supporter of the program at least 10 years ago because all funds go directly to families.

“I would see a lot of young children at bus stops without enough warm clothing on in these harsh winters. Every child should stay warm,” Burt said. 


Tammy Mayrend, who blogs about parenting for AnnArbor.com, knows about hard times. A year ago, both she and her husband were without jobs and scraping by on the generosity of family.

“We were blessed with family and friends to help us out, to keep us floating,” she said. “Not everyone has that.”

As one of this year’s volunteer shoppers, Mayrend said it’s her turn to help others. While it feels good to help others, she said, she also wants to be a role model to her two sons, age 3 and 5.

When Kellersohn started nine years ago as a volunteer shopper, she didn’t have the financial means to make a donation so she gave her time. Now that she is more financially set, she still wants to help out, recruiting 10 to 15 friends and family members as shoppers.

“It’s a very rewarding experience to meet the families: To see the joy in the children and the pride the parents have that their children can have new clothes. It’s heart warming, to see children get excited about new underwear and pajamas. It shows me that this is filling a need for them, that it’s a true gift for them,” she said. 
 Kellersohn always brings her two boys, now 12 and 8 years old, with her on the shopping trips.

“I’ve explained the program, that because of tough economic times, people need help and this is our way to help,” Kellersohn said. “They’ve never complained about coming.”