These two siblings from Ohio have donated approximately 50,000 toys in the past six years to one of the biggest pediatric hospitals in the country.
They do it through their annual holiday toy drive.
This season, the siblings Tyler and Monica Slaven brought another 11,5000 toys for the kids from the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
This project began when these siblings got together in 2015 with the sole purpose to help the kids in hospitals during the Christmas season.
Amazing Youngsters: They Have Been Donating Toys to Hospitals for Six Years
Tyler says that seeing a kid who understands the joy of Christmas doesn’t have a price.
They wanted to provide these kids with the same joy, even though they’re in a hospital. When they started their project six years ago, they used the wide network of students and staff for donations and volunteering work.
They also relied on the Ohio Virtual Academy, an online public school for K12 students that serves more than 18,000 kids from throughout the state. They helped the siblings in getting the word out every year and reaching new individuals considering they’re statewide.
They used the help of the faculty and students in setting up the toy donation boxes in various towns. They would also go by businesses that wanted to help with donations and actual toys.
Every year, they gather the donations till the 10th of December and then use the funds to purchase toys in local stores.
As the Project Kept Going, the Number of Donated Toys Was Increasing
In 2015, they donated 800 toys to the hospital; in 2016, they donated 1700 toys; in 2017, they purchased 3000 toys for the kids in the hospital.
They broke their own record in 2018 and 2019 when the largest single donation was 9200 and 20300, respectively.
They pack the toys in a U-Haul vehicle and other cars and distribute it to the kids. Tyler says how it’s an amazing feeling getting to the hospital because the staff is so friendly and joyful.
These toys bring a lot of holiday happiness for the kids and their families and help them forget, even if it’s briefly, that they’re in a hospital.
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