11-Year-Old Galloway Girl Scout Earns Bronze Award By Helping Homeless

GALLOWAY, NJ — An 11-year-old Galloway Girl Scout won her Bronze Award by creating bags that will help out the homeless population in Atlantic City.

Ava Southrey created "on-the-go" bags filled with small, essential items, that Jewish Family Services (JFS) will pass out through the boardwalk outreach program with the Atlantic City Police Department and the Prosecutor's Office.

Southrey organized the drive by creating a flyer that was posted on social media. She worked with Brianna Gorneau, JFS case manager, to come up with a list of needs. Southrey collected items, organized an assembly line to fill the bags and gave them to Gorneau for JFS.

Southrey's mother told Patch that she chose the project after learning about the boardwalk outreach program through Gorneau.

"Ava recognized that there was a need for essential items that were small, easy to carry and addressed the populations most immediate needs," her mom said.

In a large zip-top bag, Southrey put a small hand sanitizer, two breakfast bars, a water bottle and personal care wipes. She also donated large hand sanitizer bottles for the staff and many extra packets of personal care wipes.

She also visited the JFS in Margate to continue her project's effects for the long-term, taking a tour of their food pantry. She learned of the needs of the food pantry and how to further support JFS through their volunteer program.

Southrey will bring this information back to her Girl Scout troop to inform them of future volunteer opportunities and to create a long-lasting relationship with JFS.