With the countywide toilet paper drive winding down in its final week, the St. Lawrence County CDP Community Action Angels are encouraging more donations.

The purpose of the toilet paper drive is to collect and distribute toilet paper to local Neighborhood Centers and to other charitable organizations that serve those in need. Because personal care items are not covered by food stamps, obtaining adequate toilet paper and other personal items is often difficult for our county’s neediest population. In fact, toilet paper is one of the most requested items at local food pantries.

Drop-off locations include the Potsdam, Canton, Massena, Ogdensburg, and Gouverneur Neighborhood Centers, M – F, 8:00am – 4:00pm; the Waddington Village Office, M – F, 7:00am – 1:00pm, Creative Xpressions in Waddington, 1:30pm – 5:00pm.

In addition, Community Action Angels has partnered with Kinney Drugs to accept donations at all seven St. Lawrence County stores.

There are also coin drop jars at various locations across the St. Lawrence University campus, with proceeds being used to purchase toilet paper for the drive.

Drive organizer and Community Action Angels Coordinator Alicia Murphy reports that the response to the toilet paper drive has been positive, but donations are still needed. “We’ve got a long way to go to reach our goal of 10,000 rolls, but there’s still time. Regardless of the final tally, we’ve raised awareness and sparked lots of discussion.”

Murphy encourages businesses to get involved by collecting at the workplace. “There are many fun ways to engage employees in collecting for this drive.” For instance, at the Community Development Program office, each Friday in March has been “Jeans Day,” where employees may wear jeans to work for the “fee” of a four-pack of toilet paper. There’s one more Friday left. That’s plenty of time to take up a collection at the workplace.”

If you or your business would like to make a large donation and are unable to transport it to a drop-off location, Community Action Angels will arrange pickup. All donations must be commercially wrapped for resale, and no loose or unwrapped rolls.

More info: Alicia Murphy, Coordinator, at 386-1102, ext. 227.