OUR JOURNEY WITH THE CHILDHOOD LEAGUE CENTER

Sunny Days Ahead: Bess with her two sons on the Scioto Mile LAWN, Columbus, OH.

The Childhood League Center might be best known for its incredible work with atypical children in Franklin County, but for my little family, it was nothing short of a lifeline.

It was 2018, when I fled an unimaginable situation with my two boys, Charlie, 5, and Kurt, 3, with nothing but the clothes on our backs. We landed with family, and as I sat there with them, I realized I had absolutely no idea what came next. My family started pitching Columbus to me like they were real estate agents. They talked up Columbus State, the charm of Grandview schools, and the endless opportunities with their support. But what really sealed the deal was the thought of the Childhood League Center. My cousin was practically an OG of the League, starting back in the old building, growing alongside it. I remembered picking him up and seeing the transformative therapy he was receiving back then, it was truly life changing for everyone when he attended 15+ years ago.

The Childhood league center helps kurt find his voice

Kurt had been bouncing from speech therapist to speech therapist across Georgia, Tennessee, and Ohio, and none felt like the right fit. When I toured the Childhood League Center, I learned Kurt wouldn’t just get speech therapy—he’d get every therapy under the sun. As a single mother of an atypical child, I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t even tell you which way was up, let alone what an IEP was. But the Center walked me through every detail, every opportunity, and had resources upon resources for me and my wonderful boys. Between the overflowing support from my family and the League’s presence, I felt for the first time that I could actually do this. They had given my boys and I hope- I could see it in their faces that they knew everything was going to be okay.

On the first day, all the parents stood nervously in the hallway, peeking through the one-sided glass at our children like we were in some kind of awkward, silent social experiment. We exchanged those half-hearted smiles—you know the ones. We had no clue how our kids would interact with each other, or how to handle their unique needs. But as the weeks went by, we realized we were all in the same boat—clueless, but hopeful. And soon enough, we became each other's biggest cheerleaders and longed for the afternoons where we could compare hilarious stories of our children doing the unimaginable, free of judgment.

Now, let me tell you about Kurt. At the time, he was in a deep, passionate love affair with superhero costumes, specifically Spiderman. I mean, this kid lived in his Spidey suit for days on end – don’t even get me started on the bribes to wash it. We had every action figure known to man, and his obsession just kept growing. And the League? They were all in. His teachers couldn’t wait to see what costume he’d show up in each day, and they thoughtfully brought in superhero toys to keep him engaged. We even made a laminated cheat sheet of all his favorite heroes where he could point to whomever so his teachers could keep up with whatever epic battle he was reenacting that day. We updated and re-laminated that thing just about every two weeks just so it could keep up with his fast-as-flash moves.

Celebrating Kurt's Speech Milestone with a Sweet Trip to Jeni's Ice Cream.

But the real kicker? One day, I got a call from his speech therapist. Now, normally it was the nurse calling me during my Columbus State classes, so this was new. Kurt had been saying something we all thought was "OH YEAH!"—we cheered him on every time he said it. Turns out, he wasn’t saying "OH YEAH!" at all. Nope, my sweet little spidey boy was saying "BUTT HEAD" this whole time. And we had been clapping and encouraging him like he was reciting Shakespeare. Mortifying? Yes. But his therapist couldn’t have been happier—Kurt was making progress, and we could finally understand him! We celebrated that milestone with a trip to Jeni’s—because really, how do you navigate a moment like that as a parent?

The Best Christmas Gift of community and hope: kurt's spidey moment under the tree

As the months went on, that Christmas seemed doomed- I had no idea what I was going to do. As a full-time student and newly single mom, I was just trying to keep up with their ever-growing feet, let alone think about toys. Then, out of the blue, the Center approached me about a company sponsoring us for Christmas. My immediate response? "Absolutely not." But they reassured me I’d remain anonymous, and after sleeping on it, I realized it was okay to accept help. Accepting those donations was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I knew I was in a safe space. The Center wasn’t there to judge me—they were there to support us. Sitting back 6 years removed, it was all a part of our journey.

When those four enormous bags arrived, I quickly stuffed them into my trunk, like I stuffed my pride, and felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude. That Christmas was like a dream. The boys were overjoyed, and safe; Kurt was saying ‘BUTT HEAD’ in a clear, concise way, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what the Center had done for us. Inside those bags was everything we needed to tackle our first winter in show—sheets, blankets, hats, gloves, boots, and even a COSI membership. We spent nearly every weekend at COSI, and it meant the world to us. But the crown jewel? A Spiderman onesie, complete with wings under the arms. Kurt wore those pajamas every single night—and most days, too. They got holes in the knees, stains everywhere, and eventually, we had to cut the feet out just so he could keep wearing them.

After that Christmas, I truly felt the support of not just the League but the entire Columbus community. I knew I’d made the right decision, and I was on the path to success. The Center had done so much more for us than just provide therapy—they’d given us hope, community, and the belief that everything was going to be okay.

Bess Giving Back, with sons Kurt and Charlie, at the Childhood League Center 2023

For the past two years, my now-doubled-in-size family has had the privilege of sponsoring a family through the League—just like ours when we first started our journey. We gather all the information and carefully select everything they need, always making sure to include the most important item… spiderman pajamas. Pulling up to the Center with Kurt and Charlie by my side, delivering those gifts, in one of those rare full-circle moments that leaves you breathless. The Childhood League Center had such an impact on our lives and our success story, I genuinely don’t think we’d be where we are without their support. Six years ago, I never, in a million years, imagined I’d be thriving here in Columbus with an amazingly supportive husband and four kids, have a blooming career, giving back to the school and community that lifted me up when i was at our lowest.  

But my journey with the Childhood League isn’t over - I joined their Volunteer board in 2024. I now serve on the sponsorship committee for Battle Columbus, the Center’s largest fundraiser, and let me tell you, it’s incredible to see the magic behind the scenes. The dedication and effort that goes into pulling off an event like this are nothing short of inspiring. It is so exciting to see businesses and the Columbus community rallying together to support families just like mine so many years ago in a fun and unique way! It feels surreal to be in a position where I can give back just as the League once did for me. This entire experience has been a reminder of how much love and strength exists in our community—and how powerful it is when we all come together for a single purpose.