SALEM — Through events and programs such as Bright Christmas, Bright Easter, Coats for Kids, Food for Kids and the Imagination Library of Columbiana County, The Brightside Project served 7,500 children in 2022.
Launched in 2016 by Scott Lewis and his daughter, Lisa Wallace, the Brightside Project provides resources and social-emotional support while increasing access to basic necessities for at-risk children in Columbiana County.
Brightside received a $25,000 grant from State Farm, along with gifts from Bob and Linda Sebo and private donors, to secure a mobile unit. The Sunshine Bus is expected to roll out this spring to help meet children’s needs, Wallace says.
Also in 2022, the Brightside Project helped to achieve 50% enrollment of all age-eligible children in the Imagination Library of Columbiana County, sending more than 31,000 books to children up to 5 years old. The organization aims to reach 60% of all age-eligible children in the county in 2023, Wallace says.