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WVU-P student leading effort to collect items for foster kids

Photo by Jeff Baughan West Virginia University at Parkersburg student Emily Perdue holds a backpack which will be filled with items for foster care children in an eight-county region. The donation drive concludes Oct. 26 at the school’s activity center.

PARKERSBURG — Emily Perdue sat down at a table in a small waiting area across from the West Virginia University at Parkersburg Student Services area with backpack in hand, but not full of books and not for her.

Perdue has the lead for the Comfort Cases collection going on in the area as well as at the school. Comfort Cases, which collects and distributes for foster children, is collecting items for foster children in an eight-county region. Those ages range from newborn to 18.

“The older kids getting things may need a duffle bag instead of a backpack,” she said, “just because everything is bigger.”

Perdue is 22, engaged and has a 2-year-old son Ethan. She graduates in May with a Regional Bachelor of Arts degree with emphasis in communications and a minor in business and marketing.

“Being a mom, I have more compassion than ever before for kids,” she said. “I would hope all children would have this comfort. No one should have to be without.”

Perdue was not approached about leading the Comfort Cases drive.

“I had read about it on FaceBook and watched an Ellen (DeGeneres) show about it,” she said. “I wanted to do here what they were doing there. So I reached out to them to do one here.”

Comfort Cases is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md. Perdue said while it is regional, “they are hoping to take it nationwide soon.”

Perdue said in less than a month of collecting, “I’ve just about filled a 5-foot by 10-foot storage unit . We’re still lacking things like blankets, pajamas of all sizes and personal hygiene items like shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotions.”

A donation drive is scheduled from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Activity Center Gym at WVU-P.

“There will be between six to eight non-profits there which are related to community wellness at the event,” she said. “It has to be a community effort to help these kids. There will be a board member from Comfort Cases and speakers addressing the subjects of fostering and adopting children.”

The Serenity Coffee House is the current local off-campus dropoff location. The deadline for dropoffs there is Oct. 25. Arrangements for pickup/dropoff can made by calling 304-699-9392.

“The 26th is going to be packing day as well as a day of collecting,” Perdue said. “We’re going to pack it as we get it. But it’s all staying within this eight-county region.”

The State of West Virginia has approximately 5,040 children in the foster care system with an additional 2,170 children in the emergency service care due to opioid crisis and/or abuse. The West Virginia Homes Society, KVC WV and Blue Prints (formerly Try-Again Homes) will receive the donations.

The eight counties served by the local effort will include Wood, Wirt, Jackson, Calhoun, Ritchie, Pleasants, Roane and Kanawha. The number of children affected total 244 children. The items are tax deductible, according to Perdue.

Items needed include:

Children Under 10

* Small duffle bag or backpack

* Pajamas (Newborn-8/9)

* Small fleece blanket

* Youth toothpaste and tooth brush

* Shampoo/conditioner, body wash and lotion

* Stuffed animal

* Children’s books to read

* Coloring book and crayons

Children Over 10

* Small duffle bag or backpack

* Pajamas (child size 10-adult XXL)

* Small fleece blanket

* Youth toothpaste and tooth brush

* Shampoo/conditioner, body wash, lotion and deodorant

* Stuffed animal

* Books to read

* Journal and pens/presharpened pencils

Items must be new with tags/packaging, books can be gently used.

Sharpeners, razors, mouth wash, hair brushes, underwear or socks are not allowed.

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