Fowler Bonan Foundation served 604 kids in 2014

The Fowler Bonan Foundation's annual report for 2014 has been released and reflects a 45.2 percent percent increase - from 416 in 2013 to 604 in 2014 - in the number of children receiving clothing assistance, at no charge, from its flagship "Clothes for Kids of Southern Illinois" outreach.

Total donations received by the foundation topped the $100,000 mark for the second consecutive year. According to the report, the dollar value of all aid rendered by the agency in 2014 was $63,921.

The average aid provided, per child, was $105.

"Service Units" provided by the foundation - described as an article of clothing such as a pair of pants or a package of underwear, for example - totaled 5,962.

Over the last three months of 2014 alone, 372 children received a total of 2,947 units of clothing.

The report cited three goals for the year - all met or exceeded. They were:

Assisting over 500 youth

Donating over 5,000 articles of clothing

Expanding outreach into 16 Southern Illinois counties

County-by-county totals of aid provided to under-privileged children reflected as follows:

Saline 274 (children)

Franklin 74

White 38

Union 38

Johnson 30

Jackson 29

Hamilton 29

Williamson 27

Gallatin 19

Pope 12

Wayne 10

Pulaski 7

Hardin 7

Massac 5

Alexander 4

Jefferson 1

Also, at the Fowler Bonan Foundation's corporate board of directors annual meeting held Jan. 14, 2015, Bethany Shaw of Harrisburg, Emil Peterson of Harrisburg, and Jeff Mears of Vienna were reelected to 3-year terms on the board. The trio re-joined board members Dale Fowler, Bill Bonan II, Natalie Miller, all of Harrisburg, Marsha Collins of Eldorado, Bobbie Fox of Marion, Teri Hammond of Cobden, Andy Sisulak of Carbondale and Crystal Parks of Carrier Mills.

Corporate officers of the foundation for the new year were also elected:

Dale Fowler, board chairman

Bill Bonan II, board vice chairman

Andy Sisulak, board secretary

Bethany Shaw, board treasurer

Kerry Camp, chief executive officer

In summing up the year, board chairman and foundation co-founder Dale Fowler voiced awe in looking back.

"I never would have dreamed that when I started a small youth golf event eleven years ago and helped 10-15 kids with a few new clothes - that we'd get to where we are today. The people of Southern Illinois, and their generosity, are due all the credit, really. God is smiling on us, and our mission, here in our little corner of the world."

The Fowler-Bonan Foundation, headquartered in Harrisburg, is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that provides low-income children in Southern Illinois with new clothes and shoes, at no charge whatsoever. The organization works from a confidential referral system in which school administrators and social services agencies identify children in need.

It's board members are all volunteers. Donations are always accepted by the foundation, and can be mailed to P.O. Box 848 in Harrisburg, or made on line on their website. Learn more at www.FowlerBonanFoundation.com, or follow them on Facebook.