Giving in the holidays

The Alliance For the Children Gift Drive

Joey Glos, Staff Writer

Alliance for the Children is a nonprofit organization that has partnered with Neuqua Valley for 18 years to fund a holiday drive. It centers around assisting children in the Appalachian Mountain region, one of the poorest sections of the United States. The organization has aided over 3,000 children by providings new clothes and toys, letting many children receive gifts when their families might have been otherwise unable to purchase them.

Interested participants can take a tag for a child in need. These tags list the name, age and gender of a child as well as items they desire. Items bought for Alliance of the Children are turned in from Nov. 29 to Dec. 21. Gifts must be unwrapped and brand new.

Alliance for the Children is also supported by corporate organizations such as Motorola and Walmart..

The organization has contributed to change in the communities they support. According to Tim Prater principal of Hurley Elementary School test scores increased from 35 to 95 percent and attendance by eight percent since the non-profit began their program.