Cobblestone Theater Needs Your Help to Provide Gifts for Kids in Foster Care System

When you head to the stores this week to shop, stop by Cobblestone Theaters to help children in Iowa's foster care system and pick up a Christmas ornament as a thank you.

Carmike Cinemas, the corporate parent of the theater, and Nobbies Party Superstores have joined to host a supply drive for Iowa foster families.

The drive is under way and runs through Dec. 12, said JoAnna Scott with Cobblestone Theater. Inside the theater is a Christmas tree with ornaments made by children in homeless shelters and local Girl Scouts. When people bring in donations they will be able to take home one of these handmade ornaments.

All donations benefit Iowa Kids Net and Dropz of Hope, organizations that work on helping place children in foster homes. Kids are often removed from their home with nothing but the clothes they are wearing, so the supply drive organizers hope to stockpile donations to help the kids who are relocated, Scott said.

"We have not had very many donations come in, and we still have plenty of ornaments left to find homes," she said. "We have had some donations come in, but are still in need of the following items: Diapers, wipes, toothbrushes, socks, underwear. We have had lots of hats and gloves coming in, which is fantastic."

Scott also has a tip on a way to stretch your shopping budget. She says Bank of America customers who use their cards at the Dollar Tree get 20 percent cash back through Christmas. Shoppers can get five toothbrushes with covers in a pack at area Dollar Tree stores, plus others items the kids need.

The closest Dollar Tree store for Urbandale residents is at Haymarket Square, 4349 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines.

"My daughter and I went shopping and spent about $35," Scott said. "We walked out with five packs of wipes, five tubes of diaper rash cream, 15 pairs of socks, 10 pairs of gloves, five scarves, five hats, 24 hair brushes, and 20 toothbrushes. My daughter had a blast putting all of it under the tree and picked out an ornament for herself, which is now her favorite."

Iowa Kids Net and Dropz of Hope serve thousands of foster children each year, "Our effort will not even make a dent in the need that is out there, sadly enough," Scott said. "But every child that has warm hands or brushed teeth because of our event is a blessing."

Donors can find the list of items needed at Cobblestone Theater at 86th Street and Hickman Road in Urbandale, and at the metro Nobbies Party Superstore, located at 9999 University Ave. in Clive.

Donations can be dropped off any time the theater is open, which is generally from 11 a.m. to the end of the 11 p.m. showing. Feel free to ask a theater employee for assistance in picking out an ornament when you drop off your donation, Scott said.

Cash donations are not accepted. But, if Urbandale residents want to do more, they can pick up information onsite from Iowa Kids Net on other ways to help, including information on how to become a foster parent.