New and handmade winter items needed for Delaware children
The Governor's Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens, in collaboration with state agencies, community organizations and area schools, continues to collect "hugs" for children in Delaware who are homeless, inadequately housed or in foster care. The Heart 2 Heart Hugs Campaign provides warmth, comfort, hugs and smiles for kids and young adults in Delaware who are homeless or in foster care. People across Delaware are providing new or handmade resources for these vulnerable populations.
Each week since the campaign began in November, there have been donations around the state at various drop-off locations. Staff can pick up donated items when donors cannot get to a drop-off location. Community partners such as Super Walmart Camden, Fleece for Keeps and Kozy Kovers for Kids have been in contact with council staff to ensure that their new or handmade donations will be included in the items to be distributed to homeless liaisons for the districts and foster care case managers in February at the distribution event. Others, such as the Delaware State University Honor Society and Epsilon Rho Zeta, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority have challenged their fellow Greek organizations on campus to collect new or handmade items for the campaign as well. This year, Two Men and A Truck has joined the campaign and donated boxes for use at the drop-off sites.
Craig Warrington, homeless liaison for the Milford School District, said, "The Milford School District has been very fortunate to partner with the Governor's Advisory Council and their Heart 2 Heart Hugs program for several years now. As a result, the families in need in our community have benefitted from coats, blankets, hats, gloves and many more essential items. This has been a huge blessing for all. Without this partnership, we could not do all that we do for our families. We thank them so much and look forward to many more years of helping families from the heart, together."
Advisory council Executive Director Wendy Strauss said she continues to be amazed by the kind, caring and giving individuals who live in Delaware and contribute to this project to help children who are homeless or in foster care. New or handmade items are requested to ensure that the children understand these are items specifically for them and have never belonged to anyone else. The campaign is still in need of new coats, gloves, hats, mittens, sweatpants, sweatshirts and other new or handmade warm items. There are almost 4,000 children who fall in the category of being homeless, inadequately housed or in foster care. One-third of those children are receiving special education services.
Drop-off sites include Sussex Tech High School in Georgetown and the Division of Vocational Rehabiltation in Georgetown. For more information, go to www.gacec.delaware.gov or call 302-739-4553.
A distribution reception will be held Tuesday, Feb. 14, in Dover to allow foster care representatives and school homeless liaisons the opportunity to select needed items for their clients. To attend the reception, call 302-739-4553.
