“Who are we going to help this year, Mom?” my daughter Mia asked me as we drove to dance.
For the past seven years, in lieu of gifts, Mia has donated to several different charities on her birthday. What I thought was a one time collection, has quickly turned in to a well received tradition.
Not only has Mia continued to collect each year, but her friends have begun opting for donations in lieu of gifts as well.
This year Mia decided she wanted to help the animals at the AWA shelter in Voorhees. Together with several of her friends from Woodcrest Elementary, Mia was able to hand deliver a truckload of much needed items for the shelter. It was incredible to see how grateful the AWA staff members were, and it was amazing to watch how proud Mia was for helping the animals.
Such a small gesture left such a profound impact on the kids and parents in our community. Never too late or too young to pay it forward.
-Cherry Hill resident and Mia’s mom
