EAST HELENA — Teens from the East Helena community and the East Helena Branch of Lewis and Clark Library are hosting a clothing drive to support the program "The Democracy Project."
The Democracy Project is a teen-led program that empowers young people to take action to improve their community.
The programs encourage teens to identify a problem in their community and design a project that helps fix it, and the Branch Manager of the East Helena branch, Andrea Eckerson, says having a program like this in the East Helena community is important.
"In your community and you are volunteering, learning about the government, all those sorts of things. So for teens to learn about this and to do a hands-on project is very important for them," said Eckerson.
The teens started thinking of their community connection project back in October and chose to focus on making sure people have warm clothing for the harsh winter weather the Helena area receives.
"So they were really thinking of kids who needed warm clothing to get through because we have a pretty good winter this year. And then also veterans was another focus for the clothing drive," said Eckerson.
While the clothing drive accepts any lightly used clothing, they're really focused on winter clothing donations.
"Lightly used or new coats, hats, gloves, boots, warm new socks. We ask that all undergarments be new. No second hand for those," said Eckerson.
When the drive concludes, the program will find a way to get the clothes to the community.
"They are going to make phone calls to different organizations in the community and see if they can find a place or two or more that are willing to take some of the items if it comes down to it that we can't find anyone willing to take the items, we will actually do kind of a give away out here in the library," said Eckerson.
The clothing drive will take place on Saturday, April 29th, and will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the East Helena Branch.
