Kids' Shopping Day of Lawrence County

01/08/2026

Thank you to Bridgeport Masonic Lodge #386 for the donation of 107 back packs to Kids Shopping Day! Presenting the bags on behalf of the Masonic Lodge are Terry Andrews and Richard Fiscus.

08/02/2025

What an amazing day for the 20th annual Kids Shopping Day!

First off, God blessed us with absolute perfect weather. ❤️ Then He guided over 120 of the best volunteers ever to come and spend the day with KSD.

370 children were blessed with two new outfits; six pair of underwear and socks; new tennis shoes; backpack full of school supplies; a bag of hygiene items; and a New Testament Bible donated by the Gideons.

96 hair cuts were given by seven cosmetologists, one cosmetologist/barber, and one barber all from Lawrence County.

29 alterations were made by four of the areas best seamstresses and their two fabulous helpers

Over 50 people came out on Monday and over 30 on Tuesday to transfer inventory and transform Central Christian Church into the KSD shopping mall and another 40+ showed up today (after the shopping was over) to help restore the Church

THANK YOU very much to everyone who volunteered their time and energy this past week to make this day possible. This ministry could not exist without God and you!

Attached are a few pictures of parts of the KSD “shopping mall” (thank you Heidi Sutherlin). I failed and left my phone in the car so I don’t have any pictures of today. ☹️ If anyone has pictures and would like to share, please do!

Once again, THANK YOU to all our wonderful volunteers. May God bless you all as much as you have blessed this ministry.

Now let’s start preparing for next year!

08/01/2025

Tomorrow, August 2, 2025, is the BIG day!! The 20th Annual Kids Shopping Day of Lawrence County will take place at Central Christian Church, 303 Buchanan Drive, Lawrenceville, Illinois.

WE NEED YOU AGAIN!! Please put on your red shirt and plan on spending your day with us tomorrow. We will take you for one hour or all day long, whatever you can spare, I promise you will be blessed as well as providing a HUGE blessing to the kids of Lawrence County!!

There will be a short devotion, prayer, and informational meeting at 8:00 a.m. in the sanctuary with shopping to begin immediately thereafter. We have had 340 kids pre-registration with, I am sure, several more registering in the morning.

We need shoppers; people to monitor the dressing rooms; runners to get different sizes for the kids trying on their clothes; people to help try on shoes; people to choose the correct size of underwear and socks; people to "check" out the shoppers and bag their goodies; help in the kitchen to serve lunch to all our volunteers; etc. Not to mention, the tear down and restoration of Central Christian Church! We will begin tear down as soon as the last shopper is through the doors (approximately 2:30 - 3:00). This will entail inventorying all clothing, shoes, and backpacks left; boxing the items; tearing down the dressing rooms; loading all hair cut equipment; and putting the Church back together so they will be ready for Sunday services. There literally is a job for EVERYONE!! We do require volunteers, while kids are shopping, to be 18 years of age and out of high school; however, they are more than welcome to come help tear down!

Grab your friends and family from near and far to come and help. We could not have this event if it were not for you, our wonderful volunteers!! See you tomorrow!!

Send a message to learn more

07/30/2025

Due to the hard work of some tremendous volunteers, the Central Christian Church has now been transformed (temporarily of course) into the Kids Shopping Day of Lawrence County shopping mall!

If you have a pre-K through high school student residing in and attending a Lawrence County school, you are more than welcome to take part in the 20th annual Kids Shopping Day event. Each child will receive two outfits; a pair of tennis shoes; six pair of underwear and socks; a back pack filled with age appropriate school supplies; a bag of hygiene items; and a New Testament Bible provided by the Gideon’s. Free hair cuts are also available.

If you missed pre-registration, no problem. Just come to the registration table at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday and register to get a time later in the day to bring your child/children back to shop. You will need to have the following information at registration: child’s name, age, grade and name of school attending in the fall; parent/guardian’s contact number; and child’s shirt, pant, and shoe sizes. All clothing and shoes are tried on by the child so an accurate fit is achieved.

CHILDREN MUST BE PRESENT AT THEIR APPOINTMENT TO SHOP WITH THEIR PERSONAL SHOPPER AND RECEIVE THEIR ITEMS.

ONLY KSD VOLUNTEERS AND CHILDREN WHO ARE SHOPPING DURING THEIR DESIGNATED TIME ARE ALLOWED INSIDE. PARENTS CANNOT ACCOMPANY THEIR CHILD INSIDE THE CHURCH.

07/30/2025

Due to the hard work of some tremendous volunteers, the Central Christian Church has now been remodeled (temporarily of course) as the Kids Shopping Day of Lawrence County shopping mall!’

We are super excited for the 20th annual Kids Shopping Day event this Saturday, August 2nd! We still need your help so please plan on coming out and spending a couple of hours to all day with us. There is a job for everyone, I promise!

The day will begin with instruction and prayer in the sanctuary at 8:00 a.m. with shopping to begin at 8:30.

As soon as the last shopper has gone through (usually around 2:30-3:00) we will begin inventory, boxing up inventory and taking it back the KSD building, and restoring Central Christian back to a church.

Volunteers helping while children are present must be at least 18 years of age and out of high school. Please wear a red shirt.

Volunteers to help tear down and transport back to the KSD building are really needed so if you can’t shop with us, consider coming at 3:00 and help tear down our “shopping mall”.

If you have any questions, please feel free to message our page or call the following numbers (618)843-4902 or (618)843-7531.

07/26/2025

Come and be a part of a great ministry!! Check out all the ways you can help…..

07/26/2025

Would you like an extra special blessing? Check out the many ways you can receive that blessing while helping out with Kids Shopping Day….

Monday, 7/28, at 8:00 a.m. - help load inventory from the KSD building and transport to Central Christian Church and remove furnishings from the rooms at the Church and building dressing rooms.

Monday, 7/28, at approximately 1:00 p.m. - Anyone able to begin putting out clothing and shoes

Tuesday, 7/29, at 8:00 - continue working to transform Central Christian Church into the KSD shopping mall.

Work will continue daily from 8:00 a.m. until approximately 3:00 p.m. daily until the building is ready for shoppers!

Saturday, 8/2, is the BIG EVENT… the 20th annual Kids Shopping Day!

There is a job for everyone, I promise!

The day will begin with instruction and prayer in the sanctuary at 8:00 a.m. with shopping to begin at 8:30. As soon as the last shopper has gone through (usually around 2:30-3:00) we will begin inventory, boxing up inventory and taking it back the KSD building, and restoring Central Christian back to a church.

Volunteers are needed all day so please plan on coming at 8:00 and staying all day! If that is not possible, please come and spend as much time as you can. So many opportunities for all ages, even sit down jobs.

Volunteers helping while children are present must be at least 18 years of age and out of high school. Please wear a red shirt.

Volunteers to help tear down and transport back to the KSD building are really needed so if you can’t shop with us, consider coming at 3:00 and help tear down our “shopping mall”.

If you have any questions, please feel free to message our page or call the following numbers (618)843-4902 or (618)843-7531.

07/26/2025

WOW!! Pre-registration was a huge success!! Approximately 340 Lawrence County kids are all registered to shop next Saturday!! Don’t worry if you didn’t make it this morning, you can still register next Saturday, August 2, at 8:00 am for a time to come back later in the day to shop

This also means that we will need lots of personal shoppers. Please plan on coming to help next week, you will be blessed!!

07/19/2025

PRE-REGISTRATION…

Saturday, July 26th, from 9 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Central Christian Church. CHILDREN DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT AT PRE-REGISTRATION.

Info we obtain at pre-registration is: child’s name, parent/guardian’s contact number, age, grade, and school attending this fall.

Parents/Guardians/Grandparents/Persons registering children, should be prepared to give children’s shirt, pants, and shoe sizes.

If unable to pre-register on July 26th, children can register the day of the event, August 2nd, starting at 8 am (look for registration tent outside) and receive an appointment time to come back and shop later that day.

Spread the word so all Lawrence County school aged kids are ready to begin school!

07/18/2025

🎒✨ Big thanks to Heidi Sutherland for speaking at Rotary today and sharing the heart behind Kids' Shopping Day of Lawrence County – now going strong for 20 years!

This amazing program helps local students start the school year off right by providing new clothes, backpacks, school supplies, and hygiene items – all for FREE to kids in PreK through 12th grade.

What started with a dream from Bill & Helen has grown into a full community effort with 23 churches involved and enough support to help around 600 kids every year!

🗓️ Mark your calendars:
👟 Shopping Day: First Saturday in August
🖊️ Pre-registration: Saturday before
📍 Location: Central Christian Church
🕰️ Time: 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM
(Check out their page for more information)

The whole setup takes a couple days… and cleanup? Just 2.5 hours – thanks to awesome volunteers! 🙌 (Volunteers must be high school grads.)

💪 It’s all powered by donations, volunteers, and prayers. Their big fundraiser – a 5K & half marathon – happens every March!

Want to help or get involved? Reach out to Heidi at 618-843-4902.

This is truly a beautiful example of what community can do when we come together ♥️

07/11/2025

The 20th annual Kids Shopping Day will be Saturday, August 2, 2025!

The event will take place at Central Christian Church, 303 Buchanan Drive, Lawrenceville, IL starting at 8:30 a.m.

Kids Shopping Day is open to all LAWRENCE COUNTY ILLINOIS children grades Pre-K through High School.

Each child will shop for and receive two outfits; six pair of underwear; six pair of socks; athletic shoes; backpack full of the age/grade appropriate school supplies; hygiene items; and a New Testament Bible donated by the Gideon’s. Free hair cuts will also be offered.

CHILDREN MUST BE PRESENT AT THEIR APPOINTMENT TIME, SATURDAY, AUGUST 2ND TO SHOP WITH THEIR PERSONAL SHOPPER AND RECEIVE THEIR ITEMS.

ONLY KSD VOLUNTEERS AND CHILDREN WHO ARE SHOPPING DURING THEIR DESIGNATED TIME, ARE ALLOWED INSIDE.

There will be a pre-registration held on Saturday, July 26th, from 9 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Central Christian Church. CHILDREN DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT AT PRE-REGISTRATION.

Info we obtain at pre-registration is: child’s name, parent/guardian’s contact number, age, grade, and school attending this fall.

Parents/Guardians/Grandparents/Persons registering children, should be prepared to give children’s shirt, pants, and shoe sizes.

If unable to pre-register on July 26th, children can register the day of the event, August 2nd, starting at 8 am (look for registration tent outside) and receive an appointment time to come back and shop later that day.

Spread the word so all school aged kids are ready to begin school!