Children Inc. announced today that it has raised nearly $1.2 million of its $1.6 million Imagine Tomorrow campaign goal.

The announcement came at the organization's annual meeting at Devou Park.

"Today is all about the children," said Rick Hulefeld, executive director of the Covington-based nonprofit that specializes in education-based child development, child care and after-school programs.

"We showcase their creative accomplishments, we salute their teachers, we thank their supporters and benefactors and we look ahead to the future of children and families in our community."

The money from the campaign will be used to purchase and renovate the organization's new headquarters at the corner of Fourth and Madison in Covington; to improve its training facility at 1053 Madison Avenue; and to provide operating funds for the organization's service learning initiative, which plans to develop projects for 10,000 school-age children in Northern Kentucky throughout 2007.

Among the donors that contributed to the $1,157,000 raised so far are the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trust at Fifth Third Bank and Federated Department Stores, which each gave $100,000. A $100,000 gift from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation included $18,000 from the Northern Kentucky Fund, the largest gift in the fund's history.

Chuck Goering, who chairs the Imagine Tomorrow campaign, was impressed with the response.

"We have 83 donors so far - local foundations, corporations and individuals have stepped forward with meaningful gifts," Goering said.

"The commitment from the Northern Kentucky Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation underscores the important role that Children Inc. plays in the well-being of children and families throughout the area."

TERRY DUENNES/The Post

Statues of children at play, like this one of a girl on a tire swing, trim the front lawn of Children Inc. in Covington.