On Saturday, December 10, a band of volunteers braved the cold and gathered in a former Macy’s department store in Independence, MO for our annual Give Joy distribution day. Give Joy is our way of providing free gifts to children in foster/adoptive care, making sure they feel loved, valued, and provided for. It also takes some of the financial burden off of foster/adoptive parents, who give of themselves year-round to do the same thing.
Donors are matched with the wish lists of children in foster/adoptive care and go shopping to surprise them with gifts that they actually want. Many of these kids grew up in a chaotic environment, and may have never experienced what many of us consider to be a “normal” Christmas. However, thanks to our donors and foster parents, this year will hopefully be different.
Because of the generosity of our supporters, we were able to pass out Christmas presents to about 1,600 kids in foster/adoptive care in the Kansas City area.
Here are a few things the parents had to say on distribution day:
“Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and generosity. This young man has been through so much trauma, loss, and change and I am looking forward to seeing the smile on his face as he experiences love from a stranger. We love you even though we don’t know you!”
“Our son is so thrilled every year and your generosity is a true blessing! We are incredibly grateful for your support, and it definitely reminds us of the amazing things our community does every year!”
“You are helping our kids have a full Christmas and at the same time helping us provide them that! This is the best Christmas they will ever have!”
Thank you to everyone who came together to donate gifts, your time, and your talent to pull Give Joy off again this year. It’s always a whirlwind, but we wouldn’t miss it for the world. We wish you a happy holiday season, and look forward to doing again in 2023!