Shelley Berkley for Congress

(February 17, 2010 -- Las Vegas)  Congresswoman Shelley Berkley joined with Dr. Janice Weinman, President  of  Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.), Louise Helton, State Director, Communities In Schools of Nevada and  Milana Winter, Canyon Springs High School Principal, to announce a major donation of children’s clothing, toys  and other items for teen parents in southern Nevada.

“These two organizations have joined forces once again to arrange for a major donation of toys, clothing and other

items for children who are being raised by a parent attending school in Clark County.  I can only imagine the smiles that will be brought to the faces of these local little ones as a result of this generosity and I thank K.I.D.S. and Communities In Schools of Nevada for their work to make this donation a reality,” said Berkley.  “This is a wonderful example of how national companies that come to Las Vegas for their conventions can make a difference on a local level by donating products from their exhibit booths to local social service organizations.”

“The industry's support and product donations help us in our mission to bring hope and self esteem to children and their families in need by providing such organizations as Communities in Schools and their affiliates with new needed items,” noted Janice Weinman, President of K.I.D.S.

“The items our students have received have really helped to ease the burden of being a teen mom,” said Milana Winter, Canyon Springs High School Principal.  “They are so happy to know there is someone who cares and wants to help them which keeps them motivated to stay in school.”

The new donation allows students from Clark County who are teen parents access to needed items such as clothes, videos and toys.  The items are being donated through the efforts of K.I.D.S., with the aid of Communities in Schools of Nevada.  Since 2006, K.I.D.S. has collected and distributed approximately $1.3 million worth of items in Las Vegas donated by those attending conventions and trade shows in Nevada.

About K.I.D.S. -- K.I.D.S. brings hope and self-esteem to more than 4 million children and their families each year by providing new clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books and juvenile products donated by manufacturers and retailers.  The donations move through a network of nearly 1,000 local community social service agencies in the U.S. and abroad.  These efforts reach children who are challenged by poverty, homelessness, domestic abuse, low literacy, military family service, major illness, incarcerated family members and disaster survival.  More information about donating new children’s clothes, shoes, books, toys and other products is available online at www.KIDSdonations.org.

About Communities In Schools of Nevada -- Communities In Schools surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Through a school-based coordinator, Communities in Schools connects students and their families to critical community resources, tailored to local needs.  Working in more than 3,200 schools in the most challenged communities in 26 states, and the District of Columbia, Communities in Schools serves nearly 1.4 million young people and their families every year.  Communities in Schools has become the nation’s leading dropout prevention organization, and the only one proven to both decrease dropout rates and increase graduation rates.  For more information visit www.cisnevada.org