Teen Angel serves area youth

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Nevada Daily Mail

As the Christmas season gears up, an often overlooked group will receive acts of charity they'll never forget.

For the fifth year, the Lions Club manages the Teen Angel program, in Nevada. The program provides gifts for impoverished teenagers, ages 13 to 18.

"Toys for Tots takes care of young kids," Corey Johnson said. "This fills the needs of teens."

Community Outreach provides a list of teens in need, along with their likes and dislikes, and people can either donate money for presents or adopt a child and buy presents.

Five County Board of Realtors donated more than $500 to the program Nov. 20.

"People typically spend $40 or $50 on each teen's bag," Johnson said. "It's not really about toys. It's specifically about what they want and need, like school supplies and makeup."

Distribution of bags will be Dec. 18. The program averages 120 to 140 bags, and last year, 128 bags with more than $200 worth of presents were distributed.

"The difficult part of this is seeing the depth of poverty," Johnson said. "It levels me out and grounds me. I see the poverty level in this town and how these kids have nothing. We're giving them something they'll never forget."

Teenagers must be registered through Community Outreach. Call 417-667-4339, 417-549-9832 or 417-321-3760 for questions. Donations are accepted at CMJ Financial Center on the Square.

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