Prairie High freshman organizes toy drive to benefit low-income families

ORCHARDS — Fourteen-year-old Madeline McMillen, a freshman at Prairie High School, recently held a toy drive through her nonprofit, Madeline’s Helpful Heart. She collected 536 toys all together. According to a news release, eight local businesses collected toys for the drive, and McMillen also raised about $2,000 through Facebook fundrasiers, baking and selling pies, and other cash donations, which she used to shop for toys. Toys were then donated to St. Vincent de Paul’s Giving Tree program, where low-income families registered to participate in a Dec. 21 event where they could “shop” for toys for children in their care. This is McMillen’s fourth toy drive. Last year, she collected more than 700 toys. Active in many other groups and charities, McMillen averages almost 1,000 volunteer hours per year, according to her mother, Wendy McMillen. Find out more at www.facebook.com/madelineshelpfulheart.