OLD BRIDGE — A local 10-year-old has launched a new charity effort to bring smiles to the faces of other children whose families have fallen on hard times.
Paloma Ray Affinito, a student at St. Ambrose School, decided after Halloween last year to begin collecting costumes for children who may not be able to afford them. She even gave the charity a name, Costumes for the Best.
“I came up with my charity because times are very bad for people, and I knew that a lot of costumes are saved from previous Halloweens, and new costumes can be pretty expensive. And why not have them be used by another person rather than just be saved in someone’s attic,” she said.
Paloma Ray said she has received help from her parents and friends, including Samantha Careccia, as well as students and staff at St. Ambrose Parish, and has been getting a lot of donations. She will continue to collect costumes through Halloween.
Two distribution dates have been set up for those wishing to obtain donated costumes. Costumes will be given out at St. Ambrose Parish, 81 Throckmorton Lane, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 23 and 30. Those wishing to donate costumes may also do so during those times.
“Hopefully, we will not have any left over, but if we do, we are going to donate them to children in the hospital or to women’s shelters,” she said.