Youngster collecting donations for baby pantry - The Inter-Mountain

Youngster collecting donations for baby pantry - The Inter-Mountain

Addison Carr is giving to the community by donating baby items to a local pantry this year for her birthday.

ELKINS — This holiday season, one young girl is demonstrating the gift of giving is often the greatest gift of all.

In celebration of her birthday, Addison Carr, a second-grade student at Midland Elementary School in Elkins, will be collecting baby items to be donated to the Randolph County Family Resource Network baby pantry.

Carr will celebrate her eighth birthday today and, rather than receiving gifts, she has asked that her guests bring an item that can be donated to the pantry.

“Instead of presents, I want to donate baby pantry stuff,” Carr said.

Carr’s family is collecting baby wipes, diapers, socks and other clothing.

Shelly Carr, Addison’s mother, said she sees this as a positive life lesson.

“We try to teach our children that there are people out there who are less fortunate, especially around the holidays, and because (Addison’s) birthday is around Christmas, we thought this could be a way to help out people who are less fortunate,” Carr said.

Jennifer “JJ” Johnson, coordinator of Youth Health Service’s Home Ties Strengthening Families Center, said, “Anytime we get a donation, whether it be diapers, wipes, baby foods or miscellaneous items that the families can use, it’s a big deal. We have a lot of families in the community that utilize the pantry. It’s great to know that we can be there to help families with newborn babies or toddlers, to help them meet their basic needs.”

Anyone who wishes to make donations to this effort can drop items off at The Inter-Mountain throughout this week until Friday. Items donated will be given to the Carr family, who will then make one large donation from Addison to the Family Resource Network.