PHILADELPHIA, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In Pennsylvania, 176,259 or 19 percent of young children live in poor families below the federal poverty level of $21,200 for a family of four.
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Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, in partnership with WPVI-6ABC and corporate sponsors, are trying to ease the burden of many of those families with infants through the 6ABC/Girl Scouts Baby Bundles Campaign.
From April 1 through April 30, 2008, Girl Scouts are collecting new or unused baby items, packaging the items in a neat bundle and distributing them to families in need through social services agencies and religious organizations in their communities.
Nearly 16,000 will participate in the 2008 6ABC/Girl Scouts Baby Bundles Campaign, working with more than 300 religious organizations and social service agencies to get the bundles to those who need them.
"The Baby Bundles campaign is part of the Girl Scouts' long-standing commitment to serve the communities in which our troops reside," said Ann Meredith, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. "The campaign also helps Girls Scouts develop leadership and organizational skills in keeping the New Girl Scouts Leadership Experience, encouraging girls to connect with others and take action to make the world a better place."
Among the items being collected for infants are: clothing; toys; bottles; pacifiers; bowls and spoons; bath items and toiletries; nursing items; formula; diapers; and hand-made items such as booties, hat, quilts and receiving blankets. No glass items are needed.
Donated items can be placed in boxes located in the lobbies of Baby Bundles corporate businesses.
There are a number of creative and successful ways to collect baby items including:
-- hosting a baby shower
-- hosting a doll tea party, where the admission is a Baby Bundles Item
-- having a babysitting safety and information night where girls bring donations
-- ask for Baby Bundles donations for admission to an event you are already planning
-- call local agencies such as domestic abuse and homeless shelters, hospitals, social services agencies and places to find out about needs in the area and if they are willing to participate.
-- set up a booth and distribute flyers in front of stores
-- solicit small businesses for donations of items
-- use decorated paper bags
-- contact local groups to make items for your bundles (women's clubs, religious groups, etc.)
-- leave bags and instructions on door knobs and pick them up at a designated time
Chartered in May 2007, Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania (GSEP) serves nearly 45,000 girls, and 15,000 volunteers in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, Lehigh, Berks, Northampton and Carbon Counties with premiere leadership development programs. GSEP is the largest girl-serving organization in Pennsylvania.
GSEP is headquartered in Miquon, Pennsylvania with service centers located in Valley Forge, Allentown, Reading, Delaware County, Easton, and Northeast Philadelphia. More information is available at http://www.gsep.org/ or call 215-564-2030.
For more information on 6ABC/GIRL SCOUTS BABY BUNDLES CAMPAIGN,
call 1-484-920-3051 or the toll-free hotline at 1-888-244-4452, ext 1456 or go to http://www.gsep.org/
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Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
