Peoria Church Makes Sure Kids Have Gifts on Christmas
By: Andrew Barra WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: December 9, 2012
PEORIA - It is no secret children love waking up on Christmas morning and opening mounds of presents.
But it is a sad fact... Many children wake up to find just one present or none at all.
So to help make sure that doesn't happen, a Peoria church is letting parents go on a shopping spree of sorts.
TeOnna Ware is one of many parents spending their Saturday night at the United Presbyterian Church in Peoria.
Many are in need, so the church is giving them a chance to Christmas shop they may not otherwise get.
Each family picks out 4-5 toys per kid.
Church Pastor Stephen McKinney-Whitaker said, "I think a lot of families- they get worried during the holiday season ' how am I going to provide my kids with that kind of Christmas I grew up with?'. We want to help families to do that."
In the last year, Christmas shopping for six kids has become a challenge for Ware.
"My son's father died in a car accident last year," she said. It is just me taking care of him. It is important, because they only have me. I am mommy AND daddy around this time of the year, so it is very important that we get the extra help, because we're doing it all by ourselves."
"We just like to share the joy of Christmas time," McKinney-Whitaker added. "We do a lot of mission projects with some of th essentials, like clothing, food, and shelter. We think it is important to also share that joy of a child's bright smile on Christmas."
But first, the parent's bright smile from picking out the toys, one that can't be wiped off Ware's face.
"It is a Christmas miracle; it keeps my babies happy," she said. "And they don't have to worry about mommy not being able to put toys under the tree."
Parishioners have been making donations since October.
They raised enough to buy nearly five thousand dollars worth of toys.
But it is a sad fact... Many children wake up to find just one present or none at all.
So to help make sure that doesn't happen, a Peoria church is letting parents go on a shopping spree of sorts.
TeOnna Ware is one of many parents spending their Saturday night at the United Presbyterian Church in Peoria.
Many are in need, so the church is giving them a chance to Christmas shop they may not otherwise get.
Each family picks out 4-5 toys per kid.
Church Pastor Stephen McKinney-Whitaker said, "I think a lot of families- they get worried during the holiday season ' how am I going to provide my kids with that kind of Christmas I grew up with?'. We want to help families to do that."
In the last year, Christmas shopping for six kids has become a challenge for Ware.
"My son's father died in a car accident last year," she said. It is just me taking care of him. It is important, because they only have me. I am mommy AND daddy around this time of the year, so it is very important that we get the extra help, because we're doing it all by ourselves."
"We just like to share the joy of Christmas time," McKinney-Whitaker added. "We do a lot of mission projects with some of th essentials, like clothing, food, and shelter. We think it is important to also share that joy of a child's bright smile on Christmas."
But first, the parent's bright smile from picking out the toys, one that can't be wiped off Ware's face.
"It is a Christmas miracle; it keeps my babies happy," she said. "And they don't have to worry about mommy not being able to put toys under the tree."
Parishioners have been making donations since October.
They raised enough to buy nearly five thousand dollars worth of toys.
