6th Grader in Land O’ Lakes Hosts Drive to Provide Clothes for Foster Child

LAND O' LAKES, Fla. - May 12, 2015 - PRLog -- Many times our foster children are removed from their homes in the middle of the night and arrive to a foster parents home with nothing more than a few belongings stuffed into a plastic trash bag. Alexandra Westcott, 12, an adopted child herself from Imagine Charter School wants to change that sad statistic.

Alexandra crafted a flyer to promote the school drive and is asking her classmates to also donate a new TY beanie boo toy “to give a new friend at a time when they are so scared.” With local restaurant and store donations, Alexandra sought out herself; she is holding a contest for the winning homeroom to receive a pizza party and drawing for prizes.

Alexandra learned about Raising Hope after talking to her parents about helping foster kids who haven’t found their forever homes yet. She contacted Eckerd Raising Hope Director Kelly Rossi and invited her to speak at a school assembly about foster children and the Raising Hope program to raise awareness about the nearly 6,000 kids in foster care in the Tampa Bay area.

“It is so inspiring to see Alexandra energetic spirit take on a big social welfare issue at such a young age,” said Kelly Rossi, Eckerd Raising Hope Director. “She has rallied her Middle School to provide much needed resource assistance to foster children in the Tampa Bay area that will give both foster and Imagine Charter School children a sense of pride & dignity.”

In the Tampa Bay area, Eckerd has set up rooms, dubbed as Rooms of Home, with goods the children can “shop” for in a cheerful environment during a traumatic time in their lives. The Raising Hope program relies on private contributions to fill these Rooms of Hope with duffel bags, clothes, toiletries, baby items, school supplies, comfort items such as blankets and stuffed animals, and more.

Eckerd Raising Hope is funded entirely through private donations and grants from the community. With more than 200 foster children visiting the Rooms of Hope each month, there is a constant need for resources to support this program.

WHAT:          Eckerd Raising Hope Drive

WHEN:          Monday, May 18, 2015 at 3 pm

WHERE:       2940 Sunlake Boulevard, Land O' Lakes, FL 34638

For more information about Eckerd Raising Hope and how you can help support our Rooms of Hope by volunteering, organizing resource drives or making a donation please call (855) 450-HOPE (4673) or visit www.eckerd.org.

About Eckerd:

Eckerd is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, that has given much-needed second chances to more than 150,000 children and families since its founding by Jack and Ruth Eckerd in 1968.  Eckerd serves over 18,500 children and their families each year through life-changing child welfare, juvenile justice, workforce development and behavioral health programs in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Eckerd’s mission is to provide and share solutions that promote the well-being of children and families in need of a second chance. To learn more visit www.eckerd.org. Follow us on Twitter at @eckerdyouth and “like” us on Facebook at facebook.com/eckerdyouth