On December 20th, House of Shimmer, Shimmer Elite Extensions, Bambi & Scrappy of VH1, and Dazzle Me Parties organized and hosted a toy drive so that various families in the community could more fully enjoy the Christmas holiday. Five Integrity job seekers were among the Westside community participants who received toys and other gifts for their children.
Janice and her three children were one of the Integrity families who benefitted from the toy drive. “It was most definitely a wonderful warm feeling to know that my kids were going to have a beautiful Christmas after all, because it was truly a struggle trying to get everything they wanted,” Janice said. “In the end, my babies woke up with the biggest smiles on their faces.”
Bambi of VH1 typically hosts a large Christmas Drive, but because of COVID-19, they scaled the event back. The safest way to host the toy drive was to set it up like a store, which allowed parents to “shop” for gifts for their children.
“It was a blessing to be able to provide Christmas gifts, especially during such a tough year,” Jen Booth, one of the event organizers, said. “Seeing the children’s faces light up and the gratitude of the parents is something that will stay with me for a lifetime.”