The Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District is partnering with Lehigh Elementary School on a stuffed animal drive to benefit the Department of Children and Families. The collection of new stuffed animals is being held throughout the month of April, which is also Child Abuse Prevention Month. National Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to strengthen families to prevent child abuse and neglect.

The Department of Children and Families will use the donations in a number of ways:

• For children who are immediately taken into their care and are placed into foster care.

• For the Children’s Advocacy Center, where they provide therapy to children who have been sexually abused.

• For Better Together; a program that works with at-risk youth/families to prevent them from coming into foster care.

“We are proud to partner with the staff and students at Lehigh Elementary on this worthy cause,” stated Katie Heck, Public Relations Officer for the Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District. “I hope that our involvement will help Lehigh Elementary surpass their collection goal while also raising awareness of the services that the Department of Children and Families provides our community.”

Members of the public who wish to donate can bring a new stuffed animal to any of the fire stations listed below:

• Station 101- 1000 Joel Blvd

• Station 103 – 308 Gunnery Road

• Station 104 – 3102 16th St SW

• Station 105 – 636 Thomas Sherwin Ave S

Stuffed animals will be collected throughout April and delivered by our firefighters to Lehigh Elementary on April 30.