USF College of Nursing Holds Holiday Toy Drive
University of South Florida College of Nursing is holding a Holiday Toy Drive to benefit foster children of Hillsborough County and Shriner’s Hospital, Nov. 12 through Dec. 7, 2012. The toy drive is an annual effort presented by USF’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (CLCE) to help foster children in the Tampa Bay area community. CLCE have placed ten Angel Christmas trees around campus, and one of them is placed in the College of Nursing.
USf Nursing’s 2012 Angel Tree sorrounded by donations made by faculty, students, and staff so far.
Melissa Molinari Shelton, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor at USF Nursing, is coordinating this year’s Nursing’s Toy Drive, and has been since 2004. Dr. Shelton said donations collected at USF Nursing will directly benefit children, ages 0 to 17, in Hillsborough County’s Foster Care System.
“Our donations provide gifts to children and provide assistance to the foster families who have opened up their homes to these children to provide a safe environment to a child who is often removed from their home due to abuse and neglect,” Dr. Shelton said.
USF Nursing 2012 Angel Tree
The gift tags hung on the tree provide the child’s age, clothing and shoe size, and a wish list of games, unwrapped toys, electronics, and even gift cards to stores. Dr. Shelton said, students, faculty, and staff have been very generous donating lots of toys, a bicycle, games, clothes, gift cards, and other items.
“I am always touched by the response from the faculty, staff, and students who participate in this initiate” Dr. Shelton said. “The request is to purchase one item on their ‘wish list’, but many who purchase gifts donate several items for each child. By participating in this program, we are not only partnering with our entire campus to serve the community, we know that our efforts will stay close to home and provide gifts to children in Hillsborough County. We are helping our ‘neighbors’, and providing a service to the community we live in.”
On December 7th, CLCE will collect all of the toys and distribute to Shriners and the Foster Angel program.
If you did not have the chance to participate in the Holiday Toy Drive, you can still donate to the College of Nursing’s Bulls Encouraging and Assisting through Research and Scholarship (B.E.A.R.S.) initiative to provide a bear to a sick child in a a local Tampa Bay area hospital for the upcoming holidays.
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