WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Every year, hundreds of kids come through the doors of the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center in Wilkes-Barre. All of those children come from situations of abuse.
"We provide them with the opportunity to share their story, medical services, and advocacy service to connect them with after-care like counseling and other support items they might need," said Meaghan Perry, a family advocate with the Child Advocacy Center.
"When children come here, a lot of times they are pulled out of their homes or situations right away because they are in that abusive situation, so when they come here, they have nothing but the clothes on their backs," said Shannon Peduto, executive director of the Child Advocacy Center.
There's a room in the center dedicated to making sure the kids have everything they need to get them through the next steps of their journey.
Staff like to call these things comfort items. The kids get to pick out things like toiletries, pajamas, and stuffed animals. But this time of year, there's less for the children to choose from.
"The room is very bare, so the children that come through don't have much to choose from," said Peduto.
That's why the nonprofit holds a comfort item drive around the holidays to restock all of the basics.
"We have partnered with Bennett Infiniti in Wilkes-Barre. They are holding a comfort item drive for us, so we are asking the public to pitch in if they have some items. We are asking for new items for these children," said Peduto.
"Art supplies, doodling things like coloring books, colored pencils, that is good for younger and older kids, stuffed animals, blankets, things they can hold close," said Perry.
Staff say by the end of the year, they anticipate helping more than 500 kids.
Donations can be dropped off at Bennett Infiniti of Wilkes-Barre until December 16.