Rally Up calling on community to Stuff a Bus

Erin Couch, Zanesville Times Recorder
·2 min read
Frieda Hardy's granddaughters Kaiden, Isabella and Teagan wrap toys for the Stuff a Bus toy drive. Community members are asked to bring toys to Secrest Auditorium on Dec. 4 to raise the spirits of Muskingum County's underprivileged and displaced youth.
Frieda Hardy's granddaughters Kaiden, Isabella and Teagan wrap toys for the Stuff a Bus toy drive. Community members are asked to bring toys to Secrest Auditorium on Dec. 4 to raise the spirits of Muskingum County's underprivileged and displaced youth.

Editor's note: The time of the Stuff a Bus toy drive has been corrected.

ZANESVILLE — Visitors from the North Pole will be bringing gifts to Muskingum County's children in need ahead of the holidays.

But they will need your help to make it happen.

On Saturday, Rally Up, a local 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to empower youth to give back to the community through charitable acts, is hosting a Stuff a Bus toy drive at Secrest Auditorium.

A group will be delivering toys and other young-adult items to displaced children in foster care at Avondale Youth Center and other children working with child protective services.

This year, the nonprofit wasn't able to do car washes and bake sales due to the pandemic, a major way it has been able to raise money for toy drives in the past.

Now, the organization is calling on the people of Muskingum County to turn out and make the holidays brighter for displaced and underprivileged youth in the area.

"Let's put a smile on their faces, let's make them feel special," said Frieda Hardy, founder of Rally Up. "Every kid deserves something."

The toy drive will be helping some of the residents at Avondale Youth Services, which houses children ages 10 to 17.

Gary King, director of Avondale Youth Services, said many of the children removed from their homes come from very challenging situations.

Gary King
Gary King

"Even with that, it’s still family. They miss their families they need to have support and understand that people care about them," he said. "So I think when the community makes donations of things they enjoy, it s a way to lift their spirits."

Because some of those being benefited are teens, there a range of gifts that can be donated.

"Little gifts, little things can make a big difference," King said. "A pair of socks even – getting a gift is a big deal."

Here are some to think about, according to the organizations:

  • Coloring books and crayons.

  • Toys, liked stuffed animals.

  • Board or card games.

  • Children's books.

  • Lotions.

  • Socks, winter hats and gloves.

  • Makeup or nail polish.

The toy drive will use the Homeless Hands of Zanesville bus. The drive runs 8 a.m. to noon Thursday, in the Secrest Auditorium parking lot, where gifts will be wrapped and hand-delivered to children across the county.

To make monetary donations, make checks payable to MCCF-Rally Up.

ecouch@gannett.com

Twitter: @couchreporting

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Rally Up calling on community to Stuff a Bus