Christmas is a special time of celebration for families. Unfortunately, too many hard-working families find themselves coming up short at holiday time and are unable to provide the Christmas toys their children would love to have. This year, Mount Paran Christian School high school Beta Club and National Honor Society (NHS) members joined forces with Mission 1:27 to provide families with the joyful experience of selecting gifts for their children rather than receiving a handout.
During the week of November 28-December 2, MPCS sponsored a school-wide toy collection, with families and faculty and staff generously contributing more than 500 toys and donations with retail value in excess of $11,000. Approximately 30 Beta Club and NHS high school students then gathered the new, unwrapped toys and assisted with the Mission 1:27 Christmas Market shopping event on Saturday, December 10.
“The collective effort of MPCS families raised an unbelievable number of toys for the Mission 1:27 Christmas Market,” shared MPCS junior Sydney McCune. “I am so excited to see the positive impact this partnership with Mission 1:27 will have on kids in the community this Christmas!”
At the Mission 1:27 Christmas Market, families who are struggling financially found the latest and greatest toys and gifts at greatly reduced prices. All items were priced at 75-80% off retail, thus allowing families in challenging times to afford Christmas gifts for their children.
National Honor Society Sponsor and MPCS Faculty Member Amy Schwan shared, “Our ability to bless families in the local community is incredibly rewarding. I am overjoyed by how responsive our students and families were to this special opportunity!” The Mission 1:27 Christmas Market provides a unique giving opportunity because it provides three gifts in one:
• The gift of a toy at Christmas for a child whose parents might not otherwise be able to afford one.
• The gift of joy and dignity for the parents who are able to provide for their families and to select that perfect gift for their child.
• The gift of community as volunteers work together to stock the toy store with gifts that children will cherish.
This is the second year that MPCS student volunteers have supported Mission 1:27 Christmas Market, but 2022 marks the first year that the school hosted a toy collection drive as part of the third annual MPCS Family Christmas event.
MPCS junior Ansley Hester said, “I loved getting to use our hard-earned money to buy toys for these kids. We got to relive our childhoods by buying these toys and imagining the smiles on these kids’ faces! I also loved getting to do this with my brother!”
