An LSU student organization ended the semester with a toy donation drive aimed to help the community ahead of Christmas.

Project Wellness spent the past two weeks collecting new or gently used toys to give back to the Greater Baton Rouge area. Donated toys will be given to a local charity after the drive ends on Wednesday.

President Isabella NovoGradac said in a message to the Reveille that the toys should be clean, fully functional and in good condition. She said the group will be quality inspecting all toys before donating.

“We do not want children to feel like a second thought,” NovoGradac said.

Cardboard boxes were set up in the lobby of the Life Sciences Annex building ready for toys to be dropped off. For those passing by, a flier with the organization’s purpose and details was displayed on the front of the box.

The drive was two-fold. NovoGradac said it helped those who donated get rid of old childhood toys in an environmentally-conscious and responsible way, while also supporting local children.

Rather than throwing old toys away, the organization wanted to give them a second life. She said she hopes the toys bring the same amount of joy to those who receive them as they did for her.

NovoGradac said playing with toys helps children in their development by improving self-confidence and developing emotional and cognitive skills. However, the toys reach past the children alone.

“For families facing financial struggles, it can help ease the stress of providing gifts for their children,” NovoGradac said.

She said she donated a few stuffed animals of her own that were neglected and untouched. The drive, NovoGradac said, was a good way for students to get involved and help others.

Project Wellness helps students talk about mental health issues while breaking the stigma around the topic. The club’s founder, Isabella Paul, said its overall purpose is to be a voice for the student body.

She said the organization provides resources for suicide prevention, trauma and disaster relief and reaching wellness goals. At meetings, students can submit an anonymous form to talk about their issues without revealing their identity.

Paul, a biology senior, got the idea for a LSU chapter of Project Wellness after attending a pre-medical conference in Texas. There, she met Jose Llanas who had started a Project Wellness club at the University of Las Vegas.

After learning about Llanas’ story, Paul said she fell in love with the initiative. She said she felt there was something needed at LSU beyond resources already on campus.

She said she wanted to create a space that was not provided by adults and where students could talk to peers their age. She said the organization gives students an opportunity to meet other people that are facing similar issues.

“Someone can go to the Student Health Center and talk about their problems to a psychiatrist but it’s not a community,” Paul said.

Spreading positivity around campus extends to the Baton Rouge community. The toy drive ties into what Paul said Project Wellness already does: provide hope.

Paul said she donated two bags of new and old stuffed animals. She hopes seeing other people trying to help makes a difference in a child’s life.

“These stuffed animals deserve love in the same way a child deserves to receive love from them,” NovoGradac said.