The mission of the Goodfellows Club is to provide resources and services to assist in meeting physical, social and psychological needs of schoolchildren at risk in Owensboro and Daviess County. In 1916 a young newspaper editor named Lawrence Hager was assigned a story on “The Charity Girls,” an organization that had sponsored annual Christmas parties for needy children in Owensboro since 1911. Hager (then editor of the Owensboro Inquirer and later editor of the combined Messenger-Inquirer) began the first Christmas party because “no child should be forgotten at Christmas.”
The Goodfellows Club began that day and continues today, providing Christmas toys, clothing, shoes, dental care, and coats for needy children. 100% of all donations go directly to meet local schoolchildren’s needs. Since school personnel have first hand knowledge of students’ needs, they have the responsibility of identifying students at risk, requesting Goodfellows assistance and responding with appropriate clothing distribution. The shared responsibility between the local school systems and the Goodfellows Club assures that children’s needs are addressed quickly and fairly. Goodfellows Club meets more than the everyday needs of clothing, coats, shoes, and dental care. When emergencies such as tornadoes, floods, and house fires arise, Goodfellows Club responds. Children left with little after a disaster are assisted immediately with the assistance of local school personnel
