Photos with the Easter Bunny are doing more than making relatives smile after a Youth Leadership Lauderdale class presented funds raised by the festive photoshoot to the United Way of East Mississippi.

Youth Leadership Lauderdale is a program through the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation aimed at helping high school juniors grow as both individuals and leaders.

Hayden Donnelly, who helped organize the fundraiser and took on the role wearing the Easter bunny suit, said the group considered a number of ideas but went with the photo shoot as it was both timely and fun.

“We had a bunch of different ideas going through our heads, but we finally decided on the Easter bunny pictures just with it being the Easter bunny, Easter coming up, the holiday,” he said. “We thought that would generate a lot of support for us.”

Haley Graham, another organizer, said the group decided on the United Way as the beneficiary of its fundraiser due to previous experience with the nonprofit. Graham said she has been working with United Way of East Mississippi Executive Director Kym Parnell for about a year and has been impressed by the impact the organization has in the community.

“It’s just a great project and a great mission, and I knew that the money was going to a great cause,” she said.

Outside of the Youth Leadership Lauderdale, Graham said she is planning a separate fundraiser on her own to help raise additional funds for the United Way.

Donnelly said the Easter bunny photo shoot was the first project he has organized of that scale, and his team’s success shows giving back to the community is not as hard as it may seem.

Parnell said the United Way is grateful to the Youth Leadership Lauderdale class for organizing the fundraiser, which provided $1,301 for the nonprofit. Those funds will go to support the United Way’s programs and partner organizations throughout Kemper, Lauderdale, Clarke and Neshoba counties.

In addition to the funds, she said, watching Graham, Donnelly and the other students in their group plan, organize and host the fundraiser was inspiring, and she was proud of what they had been able to achieve.

“It was amazing,” she said. “(I’m) so grateful for these young leaders, which are our future, right here.”

And, Parnell said, the group’s impact to the United Way of East Mississippi is not yet over, as several members have since sought out volunteer opportunities through the organization to help in that capacity as well.

“They’re getting involved,” she said. “They’re making a difference.”

For more information about the United Way of East Mississippi, its programs or how to get involved visit uwem.org, call 601-693-2732 or stop by the organization’s office located at 4817 North Park Drive., Suite B, in Meridian.