Kids in foster care among those helped by 18-year-old Decatur native’s fundraising project – Herald & Review

Corbin Steck’s passion for clothing and shoes were at the root of his project for Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana, about 220 miles from Decatur. On Monday, the foyer of his family home bore the proof, as brightly colored new backpacks lined the foyer and children’s clothing was packed in totes near the dining room. 

“Every senior has to do a project to show and give their gratitude to what Culver has given them and show what they’ve learned,” he said.

With help from his mother, Amy, Steck was able to collect over 200 outfits and 45 pairs of shoes to donate to two Decatur organizations — the Northeast Community Fund and the Lollipop Closet. 

The Northeast Community Fund was started by Jerry Pelz in 1969 with a mission to help needy families receive food, clothing and essentials. A newly built facility opened in October and houses the foundation, which serves 2,000 families a month.

The Lollipop Closet is an organization run out of Lampstand Church, and was founded by Jacque Danneberger and her five children: 10-year-old Aila, 9-year-old Mykael, 7-year-old Zoe, 6-year-old Rozilynn and 5-year-old Nathaniel. Danneberger formally adopted the children, who are her biological grandchildren, at the Macon County Courthouse in November. 

The family drew on their own experiences to found the effort, which collects new backpacks to fill with pajamas, socks, underwear, a biblical scripture and a lollipop. The items are packed and given to the Department of Child and Family Services to provide to kids in the foster system.

Amy Steck met Danneberger when she brought the children to her two daycare facilities, Kids-N-Fitness in Decatur and Forsyth. Her business helps the Lollipop Closet each year by doing a charity project.

“Corbin was trying to decide what he wanted to do for his senior service project, and I said, ‘I know just the person you should hook up with, so let’s do something with Jacque and the kids and Lollipop Closet,” Amy Steck said. “And that’s what we did.”

Corbin Steck has been working on the project for nearly five months, including extensive planning, creating flyers and deciding what supplies and sizes of clothing were needed. 

“Because I’ve been away, it’s kind of been difficult, or harder than it really would have been if I would have been here,” Corbin Steck said. “But my mom has helped me out a lot.”

Flyers were hung at both Kids-N-Fitness locations, and Corbin Steck said his mother had been updating him on the progress throughout the project while he was away at school.

“The parents there were amazing and hooked us up and got us over 200 new outfits and 45 pairs of shoes,” Corbin Steck said. 

The high school senior also had assistance from his cousin, 16-year-old Sophie Ringer, with sorting through the clothing and sorting items by size. 

Corbin Steck purchased a shoe rack to give to the Northeast Community Fund, along with the nearly 50 pairs of shoes.

Kids-N-Fitness purchased 48 backpacks, and Corbin filled them with clothing to donate to the Lollipop Closet. Amy Steck said the daycare would buy up to 24 more backpacks to fill with spare outfits that were collected.

“I did not realize we would have this many, which is super awesome and amazing,” Danneberger said while at the Steck family home Monday morning, collecting the donations.

Amy Steck and Danneberger agreed on the importance of allowing children in need something new, something that is their own. 

Danneberger said she is striving to make The Lollipop Closet a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization to receive cash donations. As of Monday, only item donations can be accepted. 

“I am super excited about it,” Amy Steck said. “To be able to be a part of helping a group we already know is super special.”

Corbin Steck’s older brother Harrison Steck also attended Culver Military Academy. His senior service project in 2017 included fundraising for a new playground at Durfee School.

A big portion of Corbin Steck’s assignment is to create a website explaining his project, discussing what he learned and what he would do differently.

“So far, I think there’s nothing I really would have changed. Maybe getting home a few more times to talk to the parents and thank them,” Corbin said. “Because really, all of it is because of the parents at both Kids-N-Fitness north and south.”