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<\/a><\/p>\nThat hospital Quinata reaches out to the kids at is Rady\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital and its partner organization the Ronald McDonald House, where he has been organizing a stuffed animal drive for five years now.<\/p>\n
The stuffed animal drive began as a class project for middle school students Quinata was teaching through Our Father\u2019s Grace Ministries. The 16 students collected 150 animals the first year. The project could have stayed a successful program for Quinata\u2019s students, but after discussing it with Inter-religious Council of San Diego president Lisa Patton, it was re-imagined as something bigger. Patton reached out to LDS Church East State president Clark Hendrickson to get involved and the stuffed animal project had a team in place.<\/p>\n
\u201cBetween us three, this thing has just exploded \u2014 having those two people involved,\u201d Quinata said. \u201cEach year it has grown, and last year we donated 998 animals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since the involvement of the Inter-religious Council, participation has grown to include many churches from around the region, including the Bahai center, many LDS churches, St. Andrews Lutheran, Santee Christian, St. Martin de Tours, Our Mother of Confidence and more. Although some churches who participated last year are not involved this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the stuffed animal drive is still expecting to break its collection record thanks to the participation of more LDS churches from the county, Quinata said.<\/p>\n Stuffed animal collected for the drive are stored and given throughout the year to patients at Rady\u2019s and their siblings who stay at the Ronald McDonald House. Families at the house are from all over the world and are separated from friends and belongings left at home while their son or daughter or brother of sister is getting treatment. The animals come with a card from Our Father\u2019s Grace Ministries and the Interreligious Council that \u201clet\u2019s the families know that people are praying for them,\u201d Quinata said. \u201cI thought this was a little gesture to remind the kids that we care out here and we\u2019re pulling for your family to get everybody well and go home and continue life the way it\u2019s supposed to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Donated stuffed animals must be new and only 10-to-12 inches tall, but \u201cno noise makers like monkeys banging cymbals,\u201d Quinata said.<\/p>\n Animals will be collected on Oct. 24 at drive-through drop off locations \u2014 mostly participating churches and supporting businesses \u2014 during specific hours. The animals will then be brought to a central location where they will be boxed for storage. Because of the pandemic, many extra safety precautions are being taken for this year\u2019s event \u2014 including forgoing the usual party at the Bahai Center for all the participants.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to make sure this is done very cleanly and safely as we can,\u201d Quinata said. \u201cI\u2019m hoping next year we can just get back to throwing a big party and have everyone join us.\u201d<\/p>\n For more information about the stuffed animal drive, visit bit.ly\/3cZ9Ey6<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n