A Greenwood boy spent the last three months saving up his allowance and tooth fairy money — but not to buy something for himself.
Will Corn wanted to help domestic violence survivors.
The 11-year-old needed an idea for a service project to get his taekwondo black belt this year. His mom, April, helped him research different causes and nonprofits he could possibly help.
When he came across Turning Point Domestic Violence Services, based in Columbus, he asked his mom, “What is domestic violence?”
She gave the best age-appropriate answer she could. After that, Will Corn had his heart set on helping domestic violence survivors, he said.
“I didn’t know that boys get abused as well, and I didn’t know that some people get killed by their own boyfriends or husbands,” Will Corn said. “That’s why I really wanted to donate because they could have nothing.”
Turning Point provides shelter, intervention services, resources and prevention education for domestic violence survivors across Johnson, Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson and Shelby counties. Headquartered in Columbus, the organization has been serving the community and raising awareness about domestic violence since 1975.
Between February and April, Will Corn gathered his allowances, tooth fairy money and money from Easter gifts to go toward collecting items to donate to Turning Point. He also started various fundraisers, from selling bundt cakes to setting donation boxes outside a preschool where his grandma works.
April Corn helped him start a crowdfunding page online, and shared it widely on social media. Family, friends and the community donated a total of $2,000 in two months.
In addition to the cash donations, Will Corn and his parents collected all the items on Turning Point’s shelter needs list posted online, including toiletries, hair care items, gift cards, toys and baby care supplies. Those donations totaled about $1,500.
The Corn family soon found their home overflowing with boxes of donated items. And they weren’t sure if they could fit it all in one car to take it to Columbus, Will Corn said.
“It surprised me because my mom was filling up boxes in the sunroom, and there were just piles of boxes,” he said.
He used some of the donated items to make 24 welcome baskets for children that may end up at the shelter. He filled the baskets with child-specific toiletries and toys.
Will Corn was probably one of the youngest donors Turning Point has seen, said Dede Parker, volunteer coordinator at Turning Point. The shelter receives donations often, and they were humbled by the boy’s generosity.
All the items donated go directly to the 450 clients Turning Point serves across seven counties, and the cash donation will be used to purchase more of the same for the shelter.
“Everything that Will brought goes directly to the clients,” Parker said.
Will Corn said it felt good knowing he helped some families, even if he couldn’t help all 450 of them.
“It felt really good to know that I was helping people who are leaving their houses scared, with just the clothes on their backs,” he said.
He didn’t expect to raise $3,500, and he wants to donate again to help more people.
“When I found out there were 450 families there, it made me want to donate again,” Will Corn said. “We raised a lot this time, and I wasn’t expecting to get that much.”
Will Corn and his family hope that more than anything, they helped raise awareness about domestic violence from this project.
“When it came to an end, that’s when I realized how much I donated, and how many people it helped, and how much it means to them,” he said.
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Turning Point Domestic Violence Services accepts monetary and item donations.
Online donations can be made on their website at turningpointdv.org/makeadonation
Turning Point’s shelter needs list is also available on its website. To make an item donation call the shelter at 812-379-9844 or Dede Parker 812-657-1304
If you are in a domestic violence situation and you need help, Turning Point has a 24/7 help line at 1-800-221-6311
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