A helping hand

Dallas-Fort Worth nonprofits take toy and gift drives virtual to fulfill holiday wishes

Lori Lemon Geshay and Nicole Brende, Toys for Tots local area representatives and Marines, along with our littlest guest, Ellie Rose Bynam at Mr. Peeples' Toys for Tots Holiday Toy Drive December 2013

Toys for Tots now has an Amazon store.

Courtesy photo

In a holiday season amid COVID-19, even Santa's elves are going virtual. Nonprofit organizations around Dallas-Fort Worth are taking traditional gift and donation drives online to help those in need put food on the table and place gifts under the tree this year.

And, with Amazon wish lists, e-gift cards, text donations, and assistance from Alexa, supporters can participate without lifting a finger higher than a tap or swipe on their favorite device.

Due to the financial hardships brought on by the pandemic, the need is greater than ever, local charities say. For instance, the Salvation Army says in a release that it could serve up to 155 percent more people in 2020 around the holidays, but due to the closing of retail stores, consumers carrying less cash and coins, and the decline in foot traffic, they could see up to a 50 percent decrease in funds raised through their iconic Red Kettles. They've introduced a number of high-tech alternatives through their "Rescue Christmas" drive (details below).

These local nonprofits are conducting virtual drives for toys, gift cards, and monetary donations in coming months. We will update the list as more are announced.

SafeHaven 2020 Virtual Gift Drive, now through December 24
SafeHaven’s two Christmas programs, Santa Sack and Adopt-a-Family, traditionally have been gift drives with storefront locations in Tarrant County. This year, the nonprofit has created an Amazon wish list to fulfill their clients' holiday needs and wishes. Once "Santa Sack" gifts are delivered, they will be set up in a fun shopping experience for families in SafeHaven’s transitional housing and emergency shelters. The Adopt-a-Family gifts will be given to directly to selected families. To support, visit www.safehaventc.org to access the Amazon Wish List link. Once there, donors can select their favorite gifts, purchase online, and have the presents delivered directly to SafeHaven. For more information, email Lindsay Edwards at Ledwards@safehaventc.org.

U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots DFW online toy donations, now through December 12
Toy collection for children in need will still happen in person at many locations around Dallas-Fort Worth, but the organization says on its website that, due to COVID-19, they expect event participation and volunteers to be limited. Amazon to the rescue! New for 2020, toys can be purchased and donated virtually through the Toys for Tots Amazon store. Their wish list of toys has been created and posted. All toys purchased through their store will be sent directly to the local campaign. All toys collected in person must be dropped off at their warehouse by December 12 to be distributed by Christmas. (Must be new, unwrapped toys appropriate for children from 0-14 years old.)

Salvation Army "Rescue Christmas" donation drive, now through late December
The funds raised through Salvation Army's iconic Red Kettles are at risk this year due to COVID-19, and requests for help are at an all-time high, so their new "Rescue Christmas" donation drive allows people to contribute in the most modern ways. Supporters can now donate digitally with Apple Pay or Google Pay at any Red Kettle across the country. They can also ask Amazon Alexa to donate by saying, “Alexa, donate to The Salvation Army,” then specifying the amount. Or, give any amount by texting “KETTLE” to 91999. Red Kettles and bell ringers are not disappearing; they will follow nationally mandated safety protocols, the organization says. And Salvation Army's Angel Tree program will continue, with gift drop-offs at locations like Galleria Dallas done in socially distanced ways, they say.

Community Partners of Dallas 2020 Virtual Toy Drive, now through December 11
Community members can help bring hope to thousands of abused and neglected children in Dallas County by fulfilling a holiday wish through CPD’s online Holiday Toy Shoppe. Rather than choosing from printed wish cards as in year’s past, CPD’s virtual Holiday Toy Shoppe will allow donors to read through descriptions on its dedicated website to select the child(ren) they would like to fulfill wishes for. Wishes can then be fulfilled online. The Holiday Toy Shoppe will be available through December 11 at 5 pm. There are special opportunities for companies who commit to filing 100+ wishes; email corinne@cpdtx.org for additional details. For more information on participating in the Toy Drive, visit the website.

The Warren Center Operation Santa Toy Drive, now through December 1
The nonprofit agency providing support to children with developmental delays and disabilities is hosting its Operation Santa Toy Drive both in-person and virtually. The nonprofit is requesting donations of new, unwrapped toys for children ages 0-7, which will be distributed at a drive-thru holiday party. A team has selected gifts that are best suited for the children through The Warren Center's Amazon wish list here. Supporters can have items sent directly to the agency, or drop off new, unwrapped toys at their Richardson office (320 Custer Rd., Richardson; please arrange drop-off by emailing alisa.stone@thewarrencenter.org). All toys will be collected on December 1, 2020. For more information, call 972-490-9055 ext. 1111 or visit www.thewarrencenter.org.

Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center “Holiday of Hope” virtual toy drive, now through December 11
Each year, DCAC provides thousands of abused children with with gifts and toys through the annual Holiday of Hope program. This year, rather than hosting an in-person experience for volunteers and shoppers, DCAC will collect gifts or donations and then distribute the items. Each client will receive a pajama set, a reading book, and a few age-appropriate toys or gifts. Participants can shop DCAC’s Amazon Wishlist, host a toy drive, or make a donation. New, unwrapped toys and gifts are due to DCAC by Saturday, December 11, in order to serve families the following weeks. For more information, visit the website.

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Know of a virtual nonprofit drive? Email details to stephanie@culturemap.com.

fundraisers charity holidays

Here comes Santa Claus

Grapevine 'Santa House' takes St. Nick decor over the rooftop for charity

Photo courtesy of Louie Murillo

The Murillo family home has become the Grapevine Santa House.

If the Murillo family doesn't capture the top spot on Santa's nice list this year, there's no hope for the rest of us. They have filled their front yard in Grapevine with more than 1,000 lighted Santa decorations as a beacon of awareness for a local nonprofit.

They're calling it, simply, Grapevine Santa House.

The half-acre property is a "Where's Waldo?" maze of Santa statues, which visitors can walk among, snap photos with, and then, they hope, make a donation to Grace Grapevine's Christmas Cottage program. The charity's seasonal initiative provides new, unwrapped gifts to Tarrant County families facing financial hardship.

"I've always been a holiday guy, way over the top," says Louie Murillo, the dad and Santa House head honcho. Anyone who's seen the 20-foot Christmas trees perched atop the the two Chick-fil-A restaurants he owns near Dallas Love Field can attest.

"About a year ago, I bought some Santas on clearance and thought maybe we'd do something with them for a family Christmas card," he says.

Along came COVID-19, and his holiday passion intersected with a desire to help those who were struggling. During his quarantine free-time, he bought a few more Santas online. Then a few more. Then his idea for a Santa House really began to take shape.

"Once we dipped our toe in, we decided to go all out," he says of his family, including kids ages 12 and 14.

His search for Santas took him around Texas and beyond. Murillo even flew to Chicago and drove back a truck loaded with nine reindeer and a sleigh.

By July, one of the home's three attics was stuffed with Santas. Then a game room overflowed with them. By fall, a storage unit was filling up.

To be clear, these aren't just any Santa statues. They're "blow molds," a specific kind of hollow, plastic figure popular in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. They're rarely made now, and considered collectibles, costing anywhere from $30 to $140 apiece.

"How much I've spent is not a number we're gonna discuss nor share with my wife," Murillo says with a laugh. "It definitely got out of hand."

Then there was the matter of lighting it all up. An electrician helped wire the yard with an additional, 14-outlet breaker, and they're hoping a switch to LED lighting helps ease the electricity bill a little.

Some decorations are set up in vignettes, and Murillo's favorite piece isn't actually a Santa. It's a vintage church, an expensive piece he found in Chicago. The display also includes carolers and a nativity, and a sign urges people to tune to a radio station to hear the Christmas story from the Bible.

Murillo reached out to the Grace organization about a partnership at the perfect time. Their need would be higher than ever at a time at the holidays, when fewer gatherings meant fewer opportunities for donations to be collected. Typically, Christmas Cottage serves more than 2,500 individuals and families each holiday season. Families are given a hypothetical “budget” that allows the parents to “purchase” donated toys, home goods, and appliances in a secure, store-like setting.

The Murillos' goal is to raise $15,000 with Santa House, which will help 120 kids. By December 1, just a few days after turning the lights on, they were already at $9,000.

Rather than collecting contributions on site, they're encouraging guests to donate online via a GoFundMe page set up in conjunction with the Santa House.

Among the first visitors to the Santa House was a single mom whose child had been helped by Grace, Murillo says. Mom and daughter enjoyed the lights and then made a donation — they paid the kindness forward.

"It's cool to see real people being helped that are in need," Murillo says. "It's fun just to see kids' excitement. We've all been stuck indoors, not traveling, and this is something to do as a family."

The Santa House lights will go on every night from 5-10 pm through December 27. The home is on a cul-de-sac in the Western Oaks neighborhood, and visitors can park along the street.

The exact location is 3373 Spruce Lane, Grapevine. Follow the Grapevine Santa House Facebook page for updates.

The Murillo family home has become the Grapevine Santa House.

Photo courtesy of Louie Murillo

The Murillo family home has become the Grapevine Santa House.

charity holidays charity-guide