Truly Joyful Giving

Charnelle Jones’ shopping cart was filled to the brim with Christmas gifts for her children. Jones, herself, was radiating holiday cheer, as she departed after shopping at the Walmart on Collier Boulevard, near Marco Island, thanks to the annual Joy of Giving event.

The Marco-based nonprofit provides Christmas gifts, in the form of clothing and toys, for underprivileged children in Collier County. Funded by community donations, the charity enabled gifts to be bought for 1,100 youths this year, up from a then record 900 served in 2020. As with 2020, $150 was provided for each child.

This was the fourth year that Jones’ three children have been Joy of Giving recipients. “I love this program,” she said. “Especially during the pandemic and after the pandemic, I mean, it’s a blessing. They’ve grown up loving this program. I can get exactly what the kids want.”

In her cart were a comforter for her 14-year-old daughter, along with items for her bedroom, a Hot Wheels racetrack and cars and a fishing pole for her 12-year-old son, and a hoverboard for the youngest, a 9-year-old girl.

“Most of my big or expensive Christmas shopping is now done,” she explained, with a smile. “So now I just have to pick up some minor things, which is really great.”

This was the 33rd year for Joy of Giving, which was held on a recent Saturday morning. The charity was founded and is still operated by Marco resident Nikki Davis, who’s assisted each year by a team of dedicated volunteers. Recipients are identified by school teachers and counselors, camp counselors, principals, service organizations and charities. Once a child is identified, every child in their family, under age 18, is included.

Doors opened at the Walmart, near Eagle Creek, at 5:00 AM, where a team of store employees and about 30 Joy of Giving volunteers were present to assist parents and guardians from qualified families for four hours of filling Christmas dreams.

Among the volunteers was Allyson Richards of Marco, co-founder of the Al’s Pals volunteer organization, a board member for Our Daily Bread Food Pantry and Joy of Giving’s vice-president. Davis credited Richards with playing an absolutely essential role in planning and also making the morning a success.

“If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be doing this right now,” said Davis, at the gift giveaway’s halfway point. “I couldn’t do it without her.”

Richards was in constant motion, answering questions, resolving problems, and walking here and there to make sure things were going smoothly. She smiled when discussing the Joy of Giving but became emotional when talking about touching exchanges she’d had with recipients.

“People have said, ‘I couldn’t afford to have Christmas for my children without you,’” she said. “That just makes me feel good.”

Davis’ cited heart-rending circumstances experienced recently by some of the recipients she’d encountered: one who’d lost everything in a fire or the woman who, with her children, escaped violent spousal abuse, or another person whose child had just gone blind.

“There was a woman, she just collapsed and cried,” she said. “She just couldn’t believe it. She told me that she’d been praying and praying and praying. She just didn’t know what she was going to do for Christmas. She just absolutely lost it because she was leaving with Christmas presents for her children. It’s hard. These people have a lot of pain and a lot of hardships that they’re going through. Some of them are working two jobs and they just don’t know where they’re going to get the money from.”

The Island Country Club, the United Church of Marco and the Marco Island Noontime Rotary were among the major financial contributors this year. Davis said every penny donated goes toward buying gifts, so nonmonetary assistance provided by businesses such as Coldwell Banker Realty’s Marco Island office and Marco Office Supply is essential to enabling the charity to continue.

She also expressed thanks for the presence of officers from Marco’s police department and the Collier County Sheriff’s office to ensure safety.

Donna Vanleeuwen traveled from Everglades City to shop for her 17-year-old son, Matthew. She was buying him cologne, socks, underwear, shaving essentials and, “a new blanket. He likes that every year.” Like Jones, she had used the program in the past.

“It’s amazing,” she said of Joy of Giving. “It makes a huge difference. They definitely bless us with this. I’m very grateful that they do it. It’s a huge help.