Toys, breakfast given out at 8th annual…
Toys, breakfast given out at 8th annual Community Christmas Outreach
Ida Swanson (left) and Lahoma Edwards pose for a photo at the 8th Annual Community Christmas Outreach – Breakfast & Toy Giveaway. (Thomas Gase – Times-Herald)
PUBLISHED: December 21, 2019 at 5:18 p.m. | UPDATED: December 21, 2019 at 5:19 p.m.
For nearly a decade Lahoma Edwards and Ida Swanson have done their best to spread the love, joy, and blessings of Christmas to individuals having a difficult time in our community this holiday season.
That was on full display at the Vallejo Community Center Saturday morning for the 8th annual Community Christmas Outreach Breakfast & Toy Giveaway.
When Edwards and Swanson first began the program in 2011, only a few people came. This year the center had the maximum number of people allowed with 350. The group said they actually had to turn some people away.
That being said, both Edwards and Swanson agreed 2019's rendition was a success as they gave out toys and served all kinds of food for breakfast.
"I think my favorite part is during our raffles when you see the kids win gifts, whether it's a bike, gift card or something else," Edwards said.
"I like seeing all the people walk away so happy after getting their gifts," Swanson said. "There was one kid, maybe 6, that got a big teddy bear that was bigger than him! He had his arms all the way around it and he just seemed so happy to have it."
Edwards and Swanson said the group gets a ton of help, with about 60 volunteers helping to set things up as early as 9 in the morning and then to help clean up when the event ended at about 1:30 p.m. later in the day.
"I love to hear the words of encouragement from all the volunteers," Swanson said. "I had one person come up to me to say she was so touched that she could come out and help."
Edwards agreed.
"We keep have strangers come up to us asking to participate in some way, asking 'What do you need?'" Edwards said. "It's so rewarding to see the community come together like this. We had students from Jesse Bethel High and Rodriguez High here to help as well. They were serving orange juice to all the people who came in."
Deloise Davis also helped out and said the yearly event is "an awesome one."
"It's grown in leaps and bounds since it first started," Davis said. "It's grown in terms of people, organizers, everything. It's really about meeting the needs of the community. It's a blessing to have all these people fill up boxes full of gifts, clothes, coats and other stuff."