Montessori Children’s House (MCH) in Redmond has launched a basic-needs drive for Seattle shelter, Mary’s Place.

For the second year in a row, MCH is engaging in a campus and community-wide drive gathering daily toiletry items, hats and gloves, diapers and wipes, $5 gift cards and socks to donate to the Seattle homeless shelter serving women and children.

MCH students will be delivering the donations in person to the shelter, which in the past, has proven to be educational and eye-opening.

“Last year it made a tremendous impact on our students to tour the facility to see the real world effects of homelessness,” said Head of School Jennifer Wheelhouse. “Giving back aligns with the Montessori education, but we’re taking it one step further. We don’t have a ‘community outreach program,’ we have a Community Engagement Program. It’s not about that good feeling you have when you gather donations. It’s about becoming actively involved and present in the greater community.”

Last December, the MCH/Mary’s Place drive had such great results that MCH had to rent a truck to make the massive delivery. This year, thanks to a generous truck donation by Guard Well (www.GuardWell.net), MCH has a goal to pack the moving truck with holiday cheer and much needed donations.

MCH students will be requesting donations outside of the QFC at Redmond Ridge and at the QFC in Bella Bottega Shopping Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 10.