Precious Cargo: Collins & Lacy, P.C. calls on community to help donate items for foster children

May is National Foster Care Month, and to promote awareness, Collins & Lacy, P.C. is again teaming up with the South Carolina Youth Advocate Program (SCYAP), a provider of foster care and community-based services, to host a statewide item collection drive for the organization’s Precious Cargo program.

The non-profit organization is a child-placing and family serving entity that provides treatment, advocacy, and services to children and families dealing with serious emotional, behavioral, psychological, and/or development issues. Precious Cargo is a program developed by SCYAP to provide stuffed duffle bags to foster children the day they enter the organization’s care. The duffle bags contain new basic toiletries, school supplies, and comfort items such as a stuffed animal and blanket. The bags are prepared for specific age groups and separated by male and female, so they are personalized for each child. This is an important gesture of caring and support for a vulnerable child at a traumatic time in their life.

During the month of May, Collins & Lacy will be accepting donations for Precious Cargo in the firm’s Columbia and Myrtle Beach offices. The community is asked to donate unused items to help fill the duffel bags, such as soap, toothbrushes, tissues, coloring books, and pencils. For a complete list of needed items, please click here. Monetary donations for the program can be made through SCYAP’s website at https://www.scyap.com/GetInvolved/MakeADonation.aspx.

All donations can be dropped off at the Collins & Lacy offices during the month of May, between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Please visit the firm’s website at http://www.collinsandlacy.com/contact-us/ for office addresses and directions. For any questions, contact Collins & Lacy Marketing Director Janie Langdale at [email protected].

“We are excited to team up with SCYAP and host this collection for the third year in a row,” said Christian Stegmaier, Collins & Lacy Management Committee Chair. “We hope the items collected will not only help to ease a child’s experience, but that the campaign will also spread awareness of foster care needs in our state and the important work SCYAP is doing.”

“SCYAP distributes over 500 Precious Cargo bags to foster children every year and it is a special moment for each child when they receive their bag,” said Gail Cole, Development Liaison with SCYAP. “The stuffed animal is immediately brought out for a hug and then the child usually asks if it is all really just for them. They cannot believe it, and often it is the first time we have seen them smile all day.”

To find out more about the South Carolina Youth Advocate Program, visit https://www.scyap.com/Home.aspx.