Condit Elementary School student Elizabeth Hayward recently launched a toy drive for children impacted by the foster care system to ensure they have something special to enjoy during the summer.

“I was in foster care, so I thought it would be nice to do this,” Elizabeth wrote in a statement. “They get a lot of stuff in winter but don’t have anything for summer. I just want them to know that they are loved and people care about them.”

“We want to make sure they know they’re not getting someone’s leftovers,” said Elizabeth’s aunt, Connie Lannom. “They are special to us, and just because they’re going through a rough season in life, that’s not their whole story.”

To donate, click the Amazon link provided in the “Foster Care Awareness Month” edition of the Claremont Unified School District newsletter at cusd.claremont.edu.