HUMANITARIAN AWARD PRESENTED
The Rotary Club of Windsor-St. Clair has honoured Amy Johnson, founder of Cuddles Clothing for Kids, with a Humanitarian Award. “This award recognizes a person or business in Windsor or Tecumseh for exceptional humanitarian work either locally or globally,” explained Mary Lou Decou, Club President. “Amy’s commitment to reducing the impacts of poverty on children in Windsor-Essex County is remarkable and inspiring.” In the photo, she is presented the award by Carlo Abati.
“Having accepted help from others during a difficult period in my life, I wanted to pay it forward, but had difficulty finding an organization that would accept clothing donations,” Johnson, a full time law student and single mother of six, revealed when she was the Club’s guest speaker last year. “We aim to help bridge the gap when parents are struggling to manage covering the basics.”
Recognizing an unfulfilled need in the community, Amy founded Cuddles Clothing for Kids which accepts donated clothing and provides it for free to children in need in the Windsor-Essex community. Based out of St. Mark’s Anglican Church in west Windsor, the organization provides clothing for children from aged newborn to eighteen, and is completely run by volunteers. Families in need from Windsor and Essex County simply come to the distribution centre during their open times on Fridays and Saturdays to choose ‘new to you’ clothes.
“I know, from first-hand experience, that many people have a very hard time making ends meet. After escaping from an abusive marriage with my six boys and nothing but the shirts on our backs, I learned to ask for and accept help,” Johnson says. “Although Cuddles Clothing for Kids cannot eliminate poverty, we hope that children will go to school not suffering for lack of adequate clothing.”
“We were inspired by Amy’s courage, tenacity and pure desire to help others in need,” Decou says. “She truly exemplifies the Rotary motto of service above self and we are honoured to recognize her with this Humanitarian Award.”