Donate Winter Clothes For Needy Kids At Bolingbrook Rec Center

BOLINGBROOK, IL —National nonprofit Cradles to Crayons is launching a cold-weather clothing donation, and the Bolingbrook Recreation & Aquatic Center is helping out. On Saturday, Oct. 19, the center will host a donation pop-up for residents to drop off items for local needy kids.

Cradles to Crayons has operations in Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia and seeks to provide children who are homeless or in low-income situations with the essentials they need to thrive. That includes clothes, especially cold-weather items.

The group is hosting an area-wide clothing drive, with 20 donation drop-off locations. Bolingbrook will host one of those drop-off locations, with a "pop-up" donation spot from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Recreation and Aquatic Center, 200 Lindsey Ln.

Residents are asked to donate new or gently use children's clothing and toys. Most wanted items include:

• Winter coats, size infant to adult medium

• Winter boots, size infant to adult

• New pajamas

• Warm clothes

• Infant toys and toys for kids 7-12 years old

• Board board books

Donations are collected, processed and packaged by volunteers before being distibuted through social service agency and school partners. The Bolingbrook drop-off location will only be hosted that Saturday, but residents can drop off donations at any of Cradles to Crayons 55 permanent drop-off locations.