Sophie Ameloot introduced guest speaker, Austin LiPuma with For the Love of Children.

• Austin LiPuma, Presentation Director, For the Love of Children (FLOC). FLOC is a Dayton area organization that provides services for children in Dayton and surrounding cities who are neglected, abused, in foster care, or otherwise in need. It is 100% volunteer based and serves over 10,000 children. The focus is on enriching the lives of the served population.
• There are 18 programs administered by creative people with different skill sets. Some programs are:
  • Comfort a Child
    • A duffle bag filled with age-appropriate items is given to Foster Care children (to replace standard garbage bag issued by Child Protective Services).
  • Birthday Club
    • Each child receives a gift and a card for their birthday.
  • Anti-Bullying
    • In-school programming and an annual rally brings the bully and the bullied together to offer community resources.
  • The Boutique
    • Provides formal wear to students for special occasions.
  • Betsy Hobbler Skill Center
    • Academic support is provided to children. Volunteers, with various backgrounds, are needed.
  • The Educational Center
    • Books are given to children; it is often the first book they ever own.
  • Tools for School
    • The use of computers, academic resources and supplies are offered to the community. Both children and adults can avail themselves of these services. 
  • Grant a Wish
    • Similar to “Make a Wish”, Grant a Wish is FLOC’s version of granting requests of sick children.
  • Blessings in a Bag
    • Needy children are discretely provided with meals for the weekend. More than 350 children are serviced each month.
  • Christmas for Kids
    • Parents have the opportunity to receive gifts for their children, who would not normally receive anything for Christmas. Over 35,000 children have been served over 12 years.