When Sarah Weaver looks at pictures of presents filling the pews of her church, she stands in disbelief and gratitude that many donated to #ChristmasForFosters.
It’s a passion project she created to make sure children in the foster care system get a Christmas they deserve.
“We knew we had to do something because there’s such a huge need for it,” Weaver said. "In 2017, I decided to do it. It was originally supposed to be super small and for the families of our licensing organization called A Door of Hope.”
Weaver first started collecting gifts from her friends. When donations kept pouring in, more of the community got involved with corporate sponsorships. Now they’re able to provide gifts for children across Tampa Bay in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.
“It’s just so neat to see the community come together, rally behind our foster families and these foster kids and just love on them and support them and literally give them a snippet of joy just from a toy or whatever the child is wanting,” Weaver said.
Now two years later, she’s collected presents for nearly 300 children, 186 of those just this Christmas alone.
“I remember walking into the worship center at our church last week and just opening one of the bags that I knew the kid that it was going to and I just started crying," Weaver said.
As foster parents, Weaver and her husband recently adopted three children. They understand the financial burden other foster parents feel. While children across Tampa Bay are bit happier this Christmas, so are their caretakers.
The generosity of others makes their holiday a bit brighter.
“Just to organize to be able to these kids just brought me so much joy. Just thinking about that this morning as I’m watching our kids open their gifts thinking that there are so many kids, 186 kids across the Tampa Bay Area that are getting to experience this same joy because people are just so generous,” Weaver said.
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