Palmerton resident Kellie O'Donnell is starting the new year by giving back to her community.

A senior consultant for Thirty-One, a direct-selling business of thermal bags started by founder Cindy Monroe in her basement in 2003.Over 90,000 independent sales consultants across the U.S. and Canada now work for the company."Through 'Thirty-One Gives,' we are working together to empower girls, women and families with the support and self-esteem needed to lead purposeful, thriving lives. To help us carry out our mission, we're proud to partner with many nonprofit organizations, nationally and in our home office communities that share our mission to build confident girls and women and strengthen families," Monroe said.The company currently works with a number of human service nonprofits including Habitat for Humanity and Dress for Success.O'Donnell began planning how she would pay it forward before the start of 2016."Thirty-One is big on giving back. In the past three years they have donated over $80 million in cash and products to the Ronald McDonald house and also Girl Talk. I thought it would be great to give back right here in my own community," she said.After speaking with friends and family, O'Donnell contacted Family Promise on Third Street in Lehighton."I knew right away this was a great organization to give to."Family Promise recently partnered with CareerLink, Peaceful Knights and the Carbon County Community Action Team to conduct a point in time count. The event will take place at the end of the month with every homeless person or family being counted in order to get proper state funding.For her pay it forward project, O'Donnell will be donating thermal tote bags filled with everyday supplies.The goal is 100 bags to be sponsored for a donation of $20. O'Donnell will use any commission made to fill the bags with school supplies, winter gloves, tissues, hand sanitizer, coloring books and various items.Currently 30 of the 100 bags have been sponsored. With the order for the totes being placed at the end of the week, she is hopeful the remaining 70 bags will be sponsored."I thank everyone who has helped me so far by donating bags and also the various donations I received for in the bags. I cannot imagine being homeless and feel something as simple as a bag full of goodies will really bring a smile to these families faces."Anyone who is interested in sponsoring a bag can email her at

kelliarner@yahoo.com. There are three different ways to sponsor the initiative, cash, check made to Kellie O'Donnell at 466 Princeton Ave., Palmerton, PA, 18071, or through PayPal."These bags will make a family's day brighter."