The Student Government Association (SGA) is hosting its second annual Holiday Drive from Nov. 29 to Dec.7. Potential donors are being asked to contribute to the drive with items such as sports equipment, art supplies, toys, and other games. All donations will be sent to the Friends of Refugees Christmas store. 

“We knew we wanted to do a toy drive for the holiday season. We considered different organizations such as Toys for Tots, Friends of Refugees, and Operation Help a Hero,” the leader of the SGA Holiday Drive task force, Gracie Goodman Cohn, said. “We ultimately decided on Friends of Refugees because it is local, a smaller organization.” 

Friends of Refugees is a non-profit organization aimed at supporting and providing long-term care for refugees who are starting new lives in America. In this specific drive, however, the donations are geared towards toddlers and teenagers. “The purpose of the Christmas store is to have new toys that refugee parents can purchase for their kids, at a much discounted price, to maintain the dignity and satisfaction of providing for their children,” Goodman Cohn said. 

The SGA plans on continuing the Holiday Drive as an annual occurrence and will continue to donate to the Friends of Refugees with the goal of exceeding the previous year’s donations. 

Currently, there are two donation bins located at Decatur High School, with one located in the lobby area of the Library Learning Commons. The other is located outside, next to the bus loop entrance of the school, and is exclusively for after-school and weekend drop-offs.