A Tempe High School senior is running a toy drive for the early childhood development programme she attended from the age of two, in a bid to support the organisation that helped shape her early years.
Gabriella Flores, 17, launched the two-week appeal in aid of Chicanos Por La Causa’s (CPLC) Early Childhood Development programmes. Donations of new toddler toys, classroom supplies and non-perishable food are being accepted at the front office of Tempe High School until Friday, 4 September.
Flores, who is president of the school’s Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica club, said her own experiences at CPLC had inspired her to give back.
She remembers playing with friends, taking part in activities designed to build motor skills and learning how everyday tasks connected to the wider world.
“I believe kids play, it 100% definitely helped me to learn,” Flores said.
She said she wanted children receiving the donations to feel cared for while having the freedom to use toys to develop their own ideas and stories.
“Each family has different needs, so creativity makes up their own story,” she said, adding that watching her four nieces and nephews learn through play had reinforced the importance of toys in early development.
Chicanos Por La Causa, which began in Phoenix in 1969, provides services including early childhood education, alongside support in areas such as health, housing and education. Its Arizona programmes include early childhood development centres in Phoenix, Queen Creek, Surprise and other communities.
Andrea Martinez, who works with the organisation, said Flores demonstrated the lasting effect the programme could have on children and their communities.
“We have a long-term impact, as you can see with Gabi. These are the kind of kids that come out of our programs,” Martinez said.
Flores said she remained grateful to the teachers who supported her throughout her education and helped inspire the toy drive.
She plans to study public health and epidemiology after leaving school.
