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Schools

WOHS Student Organizes Drive for Victims in the Philippines

West Orange High School student Rachel Santos is collecting canned goods and monetary donations from residents to help provide assistance to the victims of the Typhoon in the Philippines.

Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines last week, killing and injuring thousands, as well as destroying thousands of homes and areas across the country.

Santos, a junior at WOHS, is organizing the efforts and is asking the community to donate any canned goods, clothing and linens for the cause. No electronics, toys or large items should be donated, as they are not needed. Drop off locations are at WOHS located at 51 Conforti Ave. and First Mountain Preschool located at 270 Pleasant Valley Way. The deadline for the canned goods and clothing donations is Nov. 22.

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Monetary donations will be donated to the American Red Cross, according to Santos, and the community can visit various local businesses in town to find a jar to donate money. Donations will be accepted at the businesses through Nov. 25.

“This drive is kind of a town-wide relief effort and I am trying to get people aware and informed of what is going on in the Philippines,” Santos said in a phone interview with the Patch.  “A few businesses in West Orange have agreed to give donations as well as display jars in their businesses for people to donate change, so it is truly becoming a town effort.”

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Participating businesses include Organic A. Cleaner located at 492 Pleasant Valley Way; Fortissimo Restaurant located at 484 Pleasant Valley Way; Mark and Julie's Homemade Ice Cream located at 476 Pleasant Valley Way; among others.

Santos, whose parents came to the U.S. from the Philippines in the 1980s, has a great amount of Pilipino heritage in her family and wanted to get involved with helping those affected by the disaster in the Philippines because of her specific link to the area through her family.

“My mother’s side of the family is from a town in the northern tip of the Philippines and that area was hit,” Santos said. “I have been able to really see the devastation through my family members and it makes me want to help. There are so many causes out there that have affected people, but this hits close to home.”

Santos also stated she has gotten a lot of support from friends, family and even people in the community she has never even spoken to before.

“So many friends and others have reached out without me asking and a couple people that I haven’t even spoken to before have contacted me to find out how they can donate,” Santos said. “Many people have asked me for donation sheets and they have went around to people they know and asked them to donate.”

“My neighbors come from all over the world and it wasn’t even their heritage being affected through this, but they see someone in our own town who has that connection and are willing to help out,” Santos said. “I think its just due to the fact our town is so diverse. Everyone is really taking a part in this and that is why I like it and it’s a way for people to come together and help such a great cause.”

The canned goods and linen donations will be accepted at WOHS from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and until 5:30 p.m. at First Mountain Preschool until Nov. 22, according to Santos.

The donations will be collected and dropped off at a church in Livingston to be prepared for their departure to the Philippines on Nov. 24, according to Santos.

For any questions and more information, email Santos at rachelsantos7@me.com

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