Montgomery County middle schooler gives back to the community through toy drive

Written by: Xavier Serrano🇵🇷

Collecting Donations for Toy Drive (Photo credit via Bonnie Lee)

A local middle schooler details her experience with toy drives, as she donates to those less fortunate with the help of her family. 

No walk of life should have to endure a lesser means of living, but everyday life makes that reality apparent. Annabelle Lee, 13,  details her own experience of living in protective care and questioning the resources that are dependably available to her and others. 

“My mother had taken me out of the state, and my dad was fighting for custody with my mom. During that time frame, I was in the Justice Center, and I saw they had a lot of damaged and broken toys,” Lee said.

Lee said the toy drive idea began after her father gained custody of her. Following her father’s death, and with help from her grandparents and mother, she was able to start the drive.

The bright eighth grader created an impact in the community by giving back to the less fortunate, recalling times she gave toys to peers and other neighborhood children. She later began to give back to the Montgomery County Crisis Center. 

Lee’s dreams of spreading happiness to other children have blossomed as her toy drive has received over $1,800 in donations, along with support from local sheriffs in the community. The middle schooler has worked with non-profit organizations and continues to gain the support of the community.

Lee describes the growth the toy drive had as she recalled filling up two U-Haul trucks with toys in less than three months. The middle schooler looks to have a future in child development as she details her desire to help children.

“I want to do something with kids, where I am interacting with younger children so that I can spread a positive message,” she said.

The toy drive gains support from the community through donations, but that isn’t the only way to help out, according to the middle schooler.

“Any kind of donation is appreciated, time-wise, just helping us set up, spreading the word, it all helps out,” she said.

The toy drive is located in the Gaithersburg Square shopping center, in front of Five Below, in Gaithersburg, Md.

As December nears around the corner, Lee looks forward to having the local sheriffs and Sheppard’s Pratt officials come together to give away toys to children during the Holiday fun. 

The 13-year-old continues to spread a beam of hope through a time of darkness.