As the need grows, so does the number of volunteers delivering Christmas spirt for Oklahoma foster care system

Sara Brown started working as a volunteer for Oklahoma City’s Citizens Caring for Children 15 years ago, but the challenges for the foster children supported by the nonprofit are as steep now as they were then.

In an economy reeling from a pandemic and inflation, the need was deep this year, Brown said, and Oklahoma has seen a greater percentage of increase for children entering foster care in recent years.

“I think there’s deeper problems driving it,” Brown said. “Of course inflation is a strain, but we’re also getting a lot of people that are moving into our state, so we’re having that influx of people coming in. Plus we’re dealing with more and more mental health issues. I think it’s a deeper problem.”

A yearly participant in the organization’s Joy4Kids program, Brown is often given holiday wish lists submitted by thousands of children in the state’s foster care system. She said she is stunned by some of the items she sees requested, many of which are as essential as a winter coat.

“Seeing the teenagers, I think, is what hits me the most,” Brown said. “This young girl came in and her shoes were way, way too big for her, and we asked her if she wanted a new pair of shoes. She went over and picked the shoes and said that was the first new pair of shoes she’d had in her life. The girl was 15 years old.”

Just under 7,000 children are cared for by Oklahoma’s foster system, according to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. Several nonprofits, like Citizens Caring for Children and The Anna’s House Foundation, dedicate hours and resources to provide services to foster families in the Oklahoma City metro.

Each December, nonprofits organize toy drives where Oklahoma City residents can donate new Christmas gifts for foster children. Many of the events this year were bolstered by corporate partners, including BancFirst and Paycom, whose workers see the toy drives as a way to give back to the community.

Viewpoint: Oklahoma foster children need families like yours to step forward

Dara Wanzer, senior vice president of human resources at BancFirst, said the Oklahoma City-based company’s employees support 80 wish lists for foster children every year through the Joy4Kids program.

“What resonates the most with me is the fact that those wish lists get filled so quickly,” Wanzer said. “Our employees love to give, and they’re able to use their creativity and their craftsmanship even beyond the wish lists, if they want. I know an employee that makes crocheted hats every year, and we have another employee who donates quilts that she makes. Because of them, (BancFirst) is able to provide in many different ways.”

And it’s deeply personal for AJ Griffin, government and community affairs director at the payroll service provider Paycom ― because she was once a foster parent herself.

“Every kid needs to feel special all year around, but especially for Christmastime, and what our employees stepping up and providing these gifts will do for the foster families is reducing the stress that they can have around the holidays,” Griffin said.

“Kids in care frequently come from trauma, and trauma unfortunately can be stimulated around the holiday time, and so our goal is really to support those families by reducing their to-do list.”

Paycom donates funds, toys to Edmond foster children agency

Paycom also presented a $75,000 check recently to The Anna’s House Foundation, continuing a partnership with the Edmond-based child-placing agency since 2016.

“This incredible gift removes a barrier for our families in just the time that it takes to fulfill these needs,” said Katherine Craig, executive director at Anna’s House. “We as an organization really focus on serving siblings, and so some of our families have four or five, six or even seven foster children in their home. But to be able to provide them all of the things that their kiddos want for Christmas is just an incredible gift.”

Paycom employees donated hundreds of new Christmas gifts in this year’s toy drive for the children supported by the foundation. Brad Smith, chief information officer at Paycom, said philanthropy is one of the company’s core values, and he feels inspired by seeing the generosity of its employees around this time of year.

“Our employees always look forward to the annual toy drive and the opportunity to spread holiday cheer to foster kids and families," Smith said. "(Anna’s House) is near and dear to our hearts, and it’s an honor and privilege to support such an impactful organization.”

More:Oklahoma food bank demand spiking in metro area as residents are squeezed by inflation

Thousands in Oklahoma foster care system burdened by strained economy

Of the nearly 7,000 children in Oklahoma’s foster care system today, more than 900 of them reside in Oklahoma County. Nearly 450 of them are between the ages of 6 and 18, according to August data from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

Related:Pivot plans grand opening for tiny houses to helps kids aging out of foster care

The Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma County is another nonprofit dedicated to helping youths. Its staff and volunteers organize their own Jolly Holiday Giveaway every December to fill wish lists for children throughout the county.

“For a lot of our club members, it’s the only gift they actually receive during the holidays,” said Madison Beeson, the local Boys & Girls Club development coordinator. “Just to see the joy on the kids’ faces during our giveaways is super heartwarming.”

The Boys & Girls Club recently extended the deadline for the donation drive to Dec. 7, and the wish list is available online at Amazon for residents who want the gifts delivered to the organization’s headquarters.

Beeson said this year proved more critical than ever for the nonprofit’s programs. It’s recently expanded from six locations to 18 club sites.

“I know it’s always been an issue of finding affordable after-school programming for kids, but especially with the pandemic and the state of this economy recently, it’s definitely had such a larger strain on people,” Beeson said.

But despite the challenging economy — or perhaps, because of it — staff at the nonprofits said metro residents have been as supportive as ever with each fundraising event and toy drive.

“People have been incredible this year,” Brown said. “I do think the people of the state of Oklahoma are very generous.”

Nonprofits encourage volunteerism year-round, not just on holidays

Tiffany Gamblin has volunteered for years to ring the bell in the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign on streets throughout the metro. She invites her two daughters to come with her as she raises funds for the nonprofit, and she enjoys seeing their enthusiasm as they talk with passersby who donate.

“It’s especially hilarious when the little kids come by and they have a handful of change that they’re trying to put into the bucket, but it might take 10 minutes to get all of it in there,” Gamblin laughed. “But I always think it’s important for my children to be able to see that and know what these nonprofits are doing and understand why we need to help people who are less fortunate.”

Fewer and fewer people carry pocket change or cash nowadays, she said, so the Salvation Army has adapted to the times and added a QR code to the red kettles so that people can donate digitally.

Gamblin said it’s never been a challenge to get the basket filled during the Christmas season, but she also said she knows volunteerism and donations taper off once the holiday season is over.

“This time of year, people are very generous with their time from a volunteer perspective, so sometimes you will actually hear agencies say, ‘You know what? Can you give time in January or February?’” Gamblin said. “We’re good for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it’s as we go into the first quarter that we really could use some help.”

Companies, including Paycom and BancFirst, maintain philanthropic campaigns throughout the year, but Gamblin doesn’t disparage people for feeling the Christmas spirit.

“It’s something so simple, but if a child could have a gift to open that they’re excited about and that they really wanted for Christmas, it just tells them that somebody cares about them,” Gamblin said. “There’s all of these feelings wrapped up in that and memories being made. They do matter.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Toy drives in OKC increase amid greater needs for foster children