Though many children in the world have been abandoned or abused, no child should ever be without home. The Craycroft Youth Center in downtown Fresno offers a safe haven for all children, no matter what their situation.

In light of the circumstances of the kids at Craycroft, the members of the California Scholarship Federation [CSF] were asked to give donations.

?I have never taken donations for Craycroft before,? Ellen King, CSF adviser, said. ?I have always wanted to give something personally, but having donations is so much bigger. We have bags and bags of stuff.?

Even non-CSF students took part in the donations to Craycroft. The drive brought in well over 200 items such as clothes, hygiene items, and even a 100-dollar bill.

?We wanted to collect donations because it seemed like a nice gesture,? Brianna Stobbe, secretary, ?06, said. ?There are hundreds of kids at Craycroft coming in daily who can only stay for thirty days, and it is a nonprofit organization. Anything is welcomed and it makes a difference when we give things.?

On November 29 of last year, King took students to the Craycroft Youth Center for the third year in a row. After the success of the first trip, she has decided to visit them again.

?We took 15 to 18 kids last time, and a few that were not in CSF,? King said. ?It was a little awkward at first, because our kids feel a little insecure. I like going there though. It teaches our kids empathy and introduces them to different circumstances.?

While some students in CSF have attended the trips to Craycroft, others struggle finding enough time in their schedules.

?I am not planning to go on the trip to Craycroft, but I would if I had more time,? Kirstina Palmer, ?09, said. ?I would love to play with the little kids and see them smile.?

The CSF drive lasted only through February. After donations stopped, several club members delivered the items and spent some time with the Craycroft kids on March 2.

For more information on the Craycroft Youth Center or CSF, contact King at 299-1695, ext. 167 or email her at [email protected].