PRESTONSBURG — A local organization that spends time working to see foster kids receive what they need were recently given a helping hand of its own by area students.

Culinary arts students from the Carl D. Perkins Job Corps Center presented $168 to the Buckhorn Children and Family Services Center in Prestonsburg.

Buckhorn is an extension of the Big Sandy Treatment and Foster Care based in Perry County. The Prestonsburg office has been operational for nearly a decade and receives donations year round.

“We’re going to take the money and use it to buy lunch for the foster kids trip in June to Camden Park,” said Girlie Hall, recruitment and certification specialist at Buckhorn.

The culinary students sold granola at the center and throughout the area in partnership with Child Hunger and in support of National Childhood Hunger week.

“We were excited to do this,” said Autumn Barnett, one of more than 20 students who took part. “We sold it at the college where we work, at our school and around the area. We were just glad to be able to take part.”

Culinary arts instructor Michael Garahan, accompanied by nine of the participating students, presented the money at the center Thursday afternoon.

Buckhorn currently has 21 foster kids and is always looking for good foster parents and always thankful for donations and help of any kind, Hall said.

“The students at Job Corps had raised this money and wanted to give it to an organization that works with kids,” said Hall, who has worked at the center for two years.

Fueled by the mission statement to “answer God’s call to seek out suffering children and families and improve their lives,” Buckhorn offered numerous program services. Among them are 24-hour crisis stabilization, training and case planning as well as individualized case planning, treatment recreation activities and social and life skills training.

For additional information about the center and its activities or for general inquires, call 1-800-472-3678 or locally at (606) 886-7008. To find out more, visit the center’s Web site at www.buckhorn.org.