Pope John Students Contribute to Toy Drive

A group of students in the Pope John Computer Science Department recently contributed new iPod Shuffles to the Season of Hope Toy Drive. The electronics were purchased using funds raised by the sale of newly-refurbished computers donated by the students at Immaculate Conception Regional School. Coincidentally, Pope John student Ruby Esposito a member of Girl Scout Troop #225, is conducting Project Toys 4 Teens, a toy drive specifically targeting the donation of teen items to the Season of Hope toy drive in pursuit of her Girl Scout Gold Award. The two projects came together at just the right time to benefit Sussex and Northern Warren county families.

“We decided a good use of the funds would be to support Ruby’s activities towards getting more toys for teenagers, so we are using the money to buy iPod Shuffles to donate. I worked with Toys for Tots for years when I lived in Naples, FL, so I know firsthand the difficulties of getting enough toy donations for that age range,” commented Adam Michlin, Computer Science Teacher and Social Media Specialist at Pope John XXIII Regional High School.

The Season of Hope toy drive is a joint effort coordinated by Project Self-Sufficiency, along with its partners Charm, The Chatterbox Drive In, iHeartMedia, Inc., Intercar Mercedes Benz, Pass it Along, Selective Insurance Company of America, Service Electric Broadband Cable, the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce, Sussex Honda, The New Jersey Herald, The Printing Center, and the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots to benefit local families in need.

Those who wish to contribute to the Season of Hope Holiday Toy Drive are encouraged to drop off a new, unwrapped toy at Project Self-Sufficiency. Gift items will be gratefully received at Project Self-Sufficiency, which is located at 127 Mill Street in Newton, Monday – Thursday, from 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. or Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Additional drop-off sites will be added in the coming weeks. Donations are requested by December 16th in order to allow ample time for the items to be distributed to needy families. Monetary donations will also be gratefully accepted; donations can be made online or by mail. For more information, call Project Self-Sufficiency at 973-940-3500, or visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org.