Newton girl’s charity project wins award

A central Iowa girl who started a charity to help kids in crisis and foster care is winning national recognition. Annie Wignall founded the Care Bags Foundation. Her mother is a child abuse prevention educator and made her aware of a problem, which Annie decided to fix. The Newton 13-year-old got various groups to donate toys, toiletries and other items which are bagged up, along with a personalized note, and given to kids in tight spots.When she started Care Bags, Annie stuffed about 20 bags a month. Now, it’s about a hundred a month and the movement is growing. She’s sent off about one thousand bags total. Annie’s been named one of six winners out of ten thousand girls nationwide for a volunteerism award. It carries a five thousand dollar scholarship and a five thousand dollar donation to the charity of her choice — her own. She says the money will be used to buy stuffed animals and other things that’re needed for the bags. She explains the care bags contain essentials like toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, and Kleenex. Baby Care Bags contain diapers and more appropriate items, while Teen Care Bags may include things like journals. The contest is sponsored by Cover Girl and Seventeen Magazine, which will do a feature on Annie and the five other winners in August. She’ll also be flown to New York City next month for an awards ceremony. As for the scholarship, Annie says she hasn’t picked out a college yet, but she wants to become a kindergarten teacher.