Homegrown gift-giving initiative makes Christmas morning magic for families in need

On Christmas morning, hundreds of families throughout the Lower Mainland who otherwise might not have had anything to open were given sackfuls of brightly wrapped gifts to unwrap with their families, courtesy of a grassroots charity ran by one Surrey woman.

On Christmas morning, hundreds of families throughout the Lower Mainland who otherwise might not have had anything to open were given sackfuls of brightly wrapped gifts to unwrap with their families, courtesy of a grassroots charity ran by one Surrey woman.

Gifts For Kids, run by Jenny Huynh, has just closed its most successful year since the initiative first began.

“It gives me a sense of comfort knowing that I give them a sense of relief for that time being. Some families, they're crying in tears. They're so grateful. Some families try to offer to help, to help wrap and deliver,” said Huynh, a health unit coordinator at Eagle Ridge Hospital in Port Moody.

The initiative began just before the pandemic, and has grown exponentially with each year that followed, said Huynh.

“I was scrolling through Facebook and I realized there were a lot of families on Facebook Marketplace looking for free, used toys,” she said.

“I thought, I could probably take care of these few families, that's not a big deal. That year, I took care of seven families on my own. Then the following year, there were 20,” she said.

Huynh’s parents, wider family and friends donated their time and efforts, and the following year the number grew to 32. Last year, the number of families helped by Huynh’s homegrown initiative topped 250.