MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — All month long, there are toy drives being held by different nonprofits and organizations, but how do they directly impact those in need within the community?
- Two local families who are experiencing unforeseen circumstances are thankful for community support with presents to give their children on Christmas Day
- The K W Stephen Ministries is collecting toys until Decemeber 20 at the First National bank of Central Texas in Woodway, Valley Mills, and China Spring
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“It’s been very hard for me this year, and it’s been very hard for me to stay on my feet,” Renata Mosely said.
Renata Moseley is a single mom working to make ends meet.
“Everything is so expensive — it’s hard. We live paycheck to paycheck,” she said.
This time of year, the season of gifting, is one of the toughest for many families, especially for those struggling like Moseley who recently lost her job.
“Being a parent around Christmas time, that’s the hardest time of the year, because you're trying to make sure your kids at least have one or two gifts under the tree," she said.
"Sometimes us parents can’t do that because we have to worry about rent, lights, water, gas, so we might can’t get them nothing."
Nonprofit KW Stephen Ministries collects gifts for kids of all ages for its annual Christmas Toy Drive.
“We help not because we have too, but because we know how it feels not to have,” Lillian Stevens said.
Erika Eckles planned on donating toys this year, but just three weeks ago, she spent thousands of dollars on funeral expenses for her late mother creating not just an emotional burden around the holidays, but a financial one.
“That’s another reason why I reached out to Ms. Lillian for help, money is a little, it’s always right, but I try to make it stretch throughout the year doing overtime," Erika Eckles said.
"Without you people helping us or donating, it will be a lot of children probably including mine that would go without, thank you so much for thinking about other children."
It’s toy drives like this one that help families like Moseley and Eckles’ have gifts under their tree Christmas morning.
"It’s a smile that’s hard to describe — when you see a child open up a gift, it’s just priceless," Eckles said.
"It’s something that he might have really wanted, and I didn’t have then money to go buy it, and if I got to the toy drive, there it is."
The K W Stephen Ministries is collecting toys until Decemeber 20 at the First National Bank of Central Texas in Woodway, Valley Mills, and China Spring.
The toy giveaway is on Saturday the 21 at the Kate Ross Community Center at 10:30 a.m. for registered families.
