The Christ Child Society, founded by Chevy Chase, Maryland resident Mary Virginia Merrick, is celebrating 135 years of following its founder’s vision that “nothing is ever too much to do for a child.”

Merrick started with a group of friends in 1887 to help an underserved, expectant mother by sewing a layette, a welcome kit for a new baby. That first small gathering evolved into the Christ Child Society, a national organization with 45 chapters, consisting of 5,500 members who volunteer nearly 400,000 hours and serve more than 75,000 children and their families annually, regardless of their race or religious belief.

To recognize this special year, the D.C. chapter is holding several activities, including a Service Day on Saturday, Oct. 29 to support the chapter’s programs, such as helping with welcome kits for new families, a garden clean-up, a “knit in” and a month-long book drive. The annual Red Wagon Luncheon, held Thursday, Oct. 20 also celebrated the anniversary.

Each of the chapters has a Layette Program, the unifying signature program in honor of the initial project of its founder. The layette is a welcome kit for a new baby; these include onesies, sleepers, diapers, baby wipes, books, parenting tips, community resource lists, and a handmade baby blanket. New this year are toddler bags with clothing, books, toys, supplies and reading tips for parents.

“What’s really interesting about the Christ Child Society today is that the mission has stayed consistent with its founding but we change the way we execute that mission by combining professional social services with volunteer support, and that is where our impact comes from,” said Kathleen Curtin, executive director of the D.C. Christ Child Society.

Through the years other programs were started and then have changed and evolved to meet contemporary demands. For example, in addition to the Layette Program, the D.C. Christ Child Society has two additional programs: The Student Success Program and the Girls on the Rise Program.

The Student Success Program provides academic support for children in local schools. Volunteers go to schools on a weekly basis to tutor students in a variety of subjects. This program also includes an early literacy program called “Book Bunch” and the “Adopt a School” initiative, which provides material support for its partner schools.

The Girls on the Rise Program, fully funded by the Washington Christ Child Chapter, is a multi-faceted empowerment program for girls in the District’s Ward 8 and their families. It includes an after-school program for girls ages 8 through 18 with academic support, social emotional learning, and recreational activities. The Girls on the Rise Summer Camp is a six-week day camp for at-risk girls ranging in age from 7 to 14 years. All of the girls’ families receive support services by Girls on the Rise staff.

The three programs of the D.C Christ Child chapter are supported by the Opportunity Shop, a consignment store in Georgetown, started more than 85 years ago.

For more information on the local D.C. Christ Child Society, visit www.christchilddc.org. To volunteer, email info@christchilddc.org.