As part of his Eagle Scout project, 17-year-old Forrest recently hosted a school supply drive to support youth at Echo Glen Children’s Center. Knowing that he wanted his project to benefit young people, Forrest reached out to Echo Glen to find out their needs and then rallied his troop and family to collect donations.
Forrest and his team stationed themselves outside the Issaquah Target store, holding donation signs for backpacks, school supplies, blankets, and toiletries for youth reentering the community. Forrest was pleasantly surprised when people began making cash donations too. After two rainy Saturdays, Forrest and his brother dropped off two full carloads of donated items at Echo Glen as well as $1,200 in funds from the drive.
“Our community is just so generous — I don’t think he ever expected to receive the number of donations that he did, but he was very appreciative, to say the least,” said Forrest’s mother, Hannah.
The backpacks and supplies are helpful resources for youth transitioning back into their communities, and the funds went into the student activity account for all youth at Echo Glen. The student activity account is used to enhance programming such as art and sports supplies, games, campus events, pizza parties, holiday gifts for youth, and more.