KITS COMFORT METH-AFFECTED CHILDREN

Georgia Ackerman is a one-woman committee for kids affected by
meth.

This energetic woman, owner of a Fort Collins beauty salon, was
serving on a citizen participation board for the Larimer County
Department of Human Services when she heard a disturbing report.
Methamphetamine use was on the rise, and its victims included children.

When children are removed from a meth lab environment, they and all
their belongings are contaminated with toxic chemicals. As a result,
when they arrive at the DHS door, they have lost not only their
parents--who are likely in jail--but also their clothing, blankets and
favorite stuffed toys. "They don't have anything," Ackerman said.

The plight of these children struck a chord with the businesswoman,
and she decided to do something about it. She came up with the idea of
providing a bag of comfort items for the children. The county
enthusiastically endorsed the project, but DHS had no extra funds to
commit. Ackerman immediately put out a donation jar at her business,
Georgia's Styling Salon, and began putting her tips into the jar as
well.

Since then, Ackerman has been a tireless fund-raiser and shopper for
her Comfort Care Kits. In the past two years, she has put together at
least 75 duffel bags for young victims of drug abuse.

Each bag includes a brand new outfit, a pair of pajamas, a stuffed
toy, a children's Bible, a blanket and toiletry items like a
toothbrush. For youngsters under the age of 2, Ackerman includes baby
supplies such as diapers. Ackerman shops sales, but the price of each
bag still runs $30 to $40. The program is entirely funded by donations
from Ackerman's beauty salon clients, people in her church and other
community organizations.

Realities for Children, a charity that helps abused and neglected
children, provides the child-sized duffel bags, and the Linus
organization donates handmade blankets. Ackerman also collects coats,
hats, gloves and shoes for the children, but since these don't fit in
the duffel bags, they are stored at the human services office.

Ackerman noted that she could collect used clothing and toys for the
meth-affected children, but she wants to do better. "I want them to
feel special and new when they go to foster care," she said. "These
little children have been through enough." She tags each bag for the
age and sex of the child, and she changes the bags when the seasons
change.

Anyone wishing to make a tax-deductible donation to the Comfort Care
Kits project may send a check, payable to Larimer County DHS, to
Ackerman at her home, 2513 Mathews, Fort Collins, CO 80525. Ackerman
delivers the donations to the county and is then reimbursed for the
kit expenses.