Changemakers: Non-profit celebrates 20 years of spreading comfort and hope across Mahoning Valley

What started as a simple act of kindness in 2005 has evolved into a 20-year mission that has helped thousands of people across the Mahoning Valley and Beaver County. 

Wanda Marland, a former church secretary, began making tie-blankets for people who shared their struggles with her. 

"People would come into my office saying that they had cancer and they had different situations, and I wanted to do something. So we started doing tie-blankets," Marland said. 

The program was designed as a three-month trial, running from September to December of that year.

During that time, Marland and volunteers would go out for dinner, and then return to the Prince of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Poland to create tie blankets. 

Over the course of three months in 2005, the group produced 140 blankets, giving rise to the creation of Comfort & Hope.

Fast forward 20 years, Comfort & Hope has become a nonprofit organization that provides blankets, holiday bags, school supplies, and more to children who are in and out of foster care.

"We do birthday boxes for them. We do hampers if they're leaving, and that's full of supplies that they would need [such as] toiletries and sheets, pillow cases, things like that," Marland said. 

The nonprofit collaborates with various agencies throughout the valley, including Mahoning County Children Services, Trumbull County Foster Parents, and Northeast Ohio Adoption Services, as well as the children's services in Beaver County.

They provide tote bags for caseworkers, personal care kits for teens, and even Thanksgiving dinners.

Marland stated that this cause is very close to her heart, as well as to the hearts of the organization’s volunteers.

"I've enjoyed every minute of it, and I have a group that I told at the last meeting, 'If I had to hand-pick each of you', I would pick every single one of them. They are just outstanding," Marland said. 

Comfort & Hope has 12 board members dedicated to community outreach. Over the past two years, the organization has distributed more than 1,000 blankets and hundreds of gift bags for children.

Marland hopes to see Comfort & Hope expand nationwide over the next 20 years, bringing the same comfort and support to communities across the country.

A scavenger hunt benefiting Comfort & Hope will take place September 13 at the Prince of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church pavilion in Poland, located at 2985 Center Rd. 

To register, text or call Tammi at (330) 646-7172.