If you’ve been waiting for the opportunity to help out animals in need this holiday season, then you’re in luck. The Animal Welfare Club is holding a donation drive from December 2nd to December 20th. The club is seeking donations and will be collecting a wide variety of items for animals in need, listed below: 

• Dog / Cat Food
• Dog / Cat Toys
•  Bedding
• Treats
• Paper Towels and Newspaper
• Doggie Poop Bags
• Playpens
• Collars / Harnesses / Leashes
• Bones

All donations will be given to the SAVE animal shelter in Skillman, NJ. All HHS Staff and Students can drop off donations in room 251. These donations will benefit the shelter, providing them with needed supplies to get through the winter and help create a better home for the animals at the shelter, this holiday season. “Pets are homeless and are struggling to survive in shelters,” said co-president Malina Patel, a Junior in HHS. “Donating can make a huge difference by providing and helping the animals in need. Shelters are doing the best they can to provide, but our help can make all the difference.”

Animal Welfare is a club at HHS with over 20 students looking to accomplish a service project to help out local animal shelters with donation drives by making homemade toys for the animals, spreading awareness for the endangered species, and many more activities. Through this club,  students work to increase the community’s understanding about animals through presentations about animals that are endangered, providing information to students to inspire them to spread the word. Led by four junior students, co-presidents Julia Brouillette, Anya Anand, Sreya Rayapudi and Patel, the club is advised by math teacher Elizabeth Watts. 

This club has inspired many HHS students to join, including the Board Members. “ I have a strong love for animals and I share that with others,” Rayapudi said.  “I wanted to contribute to something bigger than myself and seeing the impact shelters make inspired me to join this club, knowing it could help give animals better lives.” 

The board members shared that the club provides many opportunities for students to get involved. “The donation drive allows us to get involved and gather support for our cause in our school,” Brouillette said. 

Not only does the club help build strong bonds with local animal shelters, it also allows students to create strong bonds with each other. Sophomore Alyssa Cortez stated, “Our favorite thing to do in the Animal Welfare club is being with our friends and learning more about how to save animals.” 

Donating by December 20th to SAVE animal shelter in Skillman, NJ, will help many animals struggling through this holiday season. The club is also accepting new members. “You should join the Animal Welfare Club to help make a difference in your community and to learn more about how to help animals in need,” Anand said.