POTSDAM -- First Presbyterian Church of Potsdam, 42 Elm St., is starting a Border Kit Project and is asking people’s help to assist undocumented children coming into the United States at the southern border.

The church needs items for hygiene and school kits.

Entire kits or individual items may be donated. Money will be accepted.

Donations may be brought to the church center at the corner of Elm St. and Lawrence Ave. from now until the end of January.

For those who wish to make a complete hygiene kit, valued at a total of $10, the items should be sealed in a one-gallon plastic bag with a zipper closure. The items for a kit are:

• one hand towel, approximately 16" x 28" (no fingertip or bath towels)

• one washcloth

• one wide-tooth comb (remove from package)

• one nail clipper (no metal files or emery boards; remove from package)

• one bar of soap (bath size in wrapper)

• one toothbrush (in original packaging)

• six Band-Aids or other adhesive bandage strips

They ask that donors do not add toothpaste to the Hygiene Kit. Toothpaste which has an extended expiration date will be added to international Hygiene Kit shipments just prior to shipment.

For a school kit, valued at a total of $15,all items should be packed in a cloth bag as described below:

• one pair of blunt scissors (rounded tip)

• three 70-count spiral notebooks or tape-bound pads of 8" x 10 1/2" ruled paper or pads with 200-210 sheets of ruled paper. Do not include filler paper.

• one 30-centimeter ruler (12")

• one hand-held pencil sharpener

• six new pencils with erasers

• one large eraser

• one box of 24 crayons

• one cloth bag, 12" x 14" to 14" x 16" finished size cotton cloth bag with cloth handles; pattern available – no grocery bags, please.

It is estimated that last year alone 52,000 unaccompanied children entered our country. While awaiting decisions on their future, these children need to be cared for. To assist the dedicated workers interacting in this situation, the Presbyterian Church has initiated the Border Kit Project.

For more information, contact Rev. Deborah Packard, pastor, at 265-9434 or p1presch@gmail.com.