Linn-Mar students create ‘go bags’ for kids

The backpacks to be donated to local police departments to be given to children who are removed from their home

Nov. 25, 2022 2:19 pm

The Linn-Mar student council collects donations for “go bags” to be donated to local police departments for children removed from their home on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at Linn-Mar High School. (Photo provided by Jacqueline Anderson)

MARION — The Linn-Mar student council earlier this month collected donations for “go bags” for local police departments to give to a child if they need to be removed from their home.

Linn-Mar senior Jacqueline Anderson, 17, said the backpacks will be given to children who need to be removed from their home for any reason — whether it’s because of a fire or domestic violence.

“We wanted to do something for the community and go beyond our usual activities like planning dances and school fundraisers,” Anderson said.

The student council partnered with their school resource officer Tom Daubs — a police officer for the school — to identify a community need.

While children are not often removed from their home, when they are it can be “traumatic.” Anderson said. The go bags can be given to children in that situation and help make them more comfortable.

The goal was to create 20 go bags, which include items like toiletries including toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, and face wash, and notebooks, pens and pencils, coloring books and crayons and small stuffed toys.

The high school students donated items and money to go toward purchasing items in exchange for a doughnut.

Although the bags were assembled by the student council last week, Anderson said she could see this as an ongoing effort the students do for the community.

“You really don’t know even what the kid sitting next to you in class is going through,” Anderson said. “Anybody could be in a situation where they have to be removed from their home for any reason.”