Students deliver hundreds of gift boxes to outreach centers

Washington County  -  The American Red Cross Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter’s Washington Branch is partnering with the students of Boyce Middle School, Upper St. Clair School District, to provide holiday gift boxes for children in need. 

More than 600 gift boxes will be assembled by Boyce Middle School students and staff at Boyce Middle School (1500 Boyce Road, Upper St. Clair, PA  15241) for the event on Tuesday, December 13, starting at 9:30 a.m. 

To load such a large amount of boxes onto the vehicle, the students traditionally line up - assembly line-style -- and pass each individual box from one end of the school to the other - where they are then loaded onto the American Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle. Because the emergency vehicle is still deployed for hurricane relief, South Hills Movers has generously donated a vehicle and movers to help load the boxes.

The Red Cross will distribute the friendship boxes along with ten children from the Boyce Middle School, chaperoned by their guidance counselors, who were responsible for organizing this project.  The boxes will be delivered to Washington County Outreach, Washington County Children and Youth Services and other Homeless Prevention Programs. Homeless Prevention Services provide emergency funding to help low-income families pay for first month’s rent and/or security deposit as well as utility assistance. 

The gift boxes contain items such as toiletries, gloves, hats, games, toys, candy and other small presents.