For the second year in a row, the American Legion Post 90 Auxiliary Unit collected over $700 in school supplies consisting of notebooks, composition books, pencils, pens and crayons for donation to the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) of Fort Myers.

Hosted by the Post 90 Auxiliary Unit, the event provided over 30 boxes of school supplies intended for distribution to children ages 5 to 12 by the CAC. With a core belief of “Be Kind,” this is one of a variety of donations to local charities that the auxiliary provides, primarily in the Cape Coral area, to meet its commitment to the community.

In addition to the auxiliary, the Cape Coral Police Department was instrumental in assisting in collecting school supplies through its Community Policing Unit. Sargeant P. Lamana stated that they often receive donations at the police station and offer programs such as “Shop With A Cop” and holiday turkey drives. Officer J Kuhn said, “The partnership with the auxiliary and the Advocacy Center creates a great partnership and an opportunity to give back to the community for their support.”

The president of the auxiliary, Nita Keeling, stated, “It was a wonderful drive and twice the volume than last year. Several Dollar Tree stores acted as initial collection points and helped reach our goal. I’m very proud of the additional effort by members of the auxiliary to exceed last year’s goal.”

Rachael Peacock, the director of Development & Community Relations of the Children’s Advocacy Center, said, “The generosity of the auxiliary is much appreciated.”

The mission of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Florida is to provide for child victims of abuse and neglect and improve the lives of at-risk children and their families through prevention services.

The American Legion Auxiliary comprises male and female spouses, grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and direct and adopted female descendants of members of the American Legion. The auxiliary administers dozens of volunteer programs, gives hundreds of hours to its communities and veterans, and raises thousands of dollars to support its programs and other worthwhile charities in Cape Coral and Fort Myers. It is all accomplished with volunteers.

For additional information about the auxiliary, contact President Nita Keeling at keeling.nita@aol.com or Membership Chair Sherry Baker at ibswfl18@gmail.com.