A community effort spurred by Resurrection Life Worship Center’s Young Ladies of Virtue collected about 300 pairs of pajamas and more than $1,000 to help local foster children.

Various businesses in the community collected pajamas in the effort and some also collected monetary donations for local foster children.

Community members dropped their pajama donations off at PJ’s Coffee House, Dockside Seafood, Sunnyside Pizza, Celebrations, Picayune’s Rotary Club and Paint Your Own Studio, said Dawn Bechtel. The Pajama Program in New York also assisted in the donation of pajamas. The effort collected a total of about 300 pairs of pajamas.

Monetary donations were collected from the community to purchase additional pajamas and help the children with other everyday needs. PJ’s Coffee House collected $524.50 in community donations, while the Picayune Blue Knights were able to collect $784 during a bike ride held on Dec. 8, Bechtel said. About $250 was collected at Dockside and Sunnyside, Bechtel said.

Bechtel said she appreciates the community response in the effort.

“It was a community wide drive to help those children and we thank everyone for being such a blessing to the children,” Bechtel said.