Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
Hancock, Michigan—The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) of the Keweenaw Community Foundation completed its Bedtime Story Drive for local youth. YAC encouraged the community to donate new and gently used books and new pajamas for children ages 5-17.
“The Bedtime Story Drive is entirely youth-driven by our enthusiastic members in YAC,” said Lindsay Sandell, co-president of YAC and a Houghton High School junior. “This year, we expanded our book drive into books and pajamas to benefit local youth in more ways this holiday season. Sorting out the generous amount of donations we have collected the past two years has been one of my favorite service projects we do in YAC.”
Donated books and pajamas were distributed to children involved in the 31 Backpacks program, assuring that all donations stayed within the community. 31 Backpacks sent over 900 thirteen-gallon bags of food, personal hygiene, and cleaning products to 183 “at-risk” students from Copper Country schools.
“For the first time since 31 Backpacks started providing food on weekends and school holidays, we were able to include books for all 183 students thanks to YAC. We have learned from talking to social workers that most of the at-risk students do not own books. What a thrill it must have been to receive books for Christmas. Some students received pajamas also,” said Laurel Maki, Founder and President of 31 Backpacks, Inc.
Keweenaw Community Foundation, YAC, and 31 Backpacks wanted to thank all the businesses that assisted with the drive and all of those who donated. Drop off locations included the Portage Lake District Library in Houghton, the Suomi Restaurant in Houghton, the Keweenaw Community Foundation in Hancock, Northwind Bookstore (Finlandia University) in Hancock, the Jutila Center in Hancock, and Century 21 locations in Houghton, Calumet, and L’anse.
YAC is comprised of Houghton County students in grades 8-12 representing several area high schools. The purpose of YAC is to strengthen the leadership and charitable commitment of youth by providing them with opportunities to develop solutions to challenging issues facing local youth. YAC has three goals: to engage youth in philanthropy, address the needs of local youth, and pursue community service. To learn more about YAC, visit Keweenaw Community Foundation’s website at http://www.k-c-f.org/youth/.
Through philanthropic services, strategic investments and community leadership, Keweenaw Community Foundation helps people support the causes they care about, now and for generations to come. For more information on Keweenaw Community Foundation and how to give, visit its website at www.k-c-f.org.
