DAYTON, Ky. — Gifts poured into Dayton High School Friday as strangers fulfilled the Christmas wish lists of high school and middle school students.
"Operation Christmas Joy" is named after organizer Georgia Harris' mother, Joye Nelson. Any time Harris, a social worker, struggled to provide for her family, Nelson gave whatever it took to see her grandchildren smile at Christmas.
Two years ago, when U.S. Census data showed about 20% of Dayton's population lived in poverty, "Operation Christmas Joy" took care of 40 to 60 families. Now, there are more than 130 families with wish lists.
Their desires go beyond bikes or board games as families instead ask for life essentials like socks and underwear. One family, Harris said, asked for a bed frame.
"We're in a sad state right now where we're trying to recover from a pandemic but prices are also going up and it's just not balancing out," Harris said.
One week before families were scheduled to pick up their gifts, Harris' team had nothing in hand for 30 of the wish lists. They had no sponsor lined up either. Harris was panicked until two strangers surprised school staff Monday.
"I showed up and our principal was like, 'Somebody dropped this (envelope) off for you,'" Harris said. "I opened it and it was a $1,000 check, which I was not expecting. Then I came in here and opened up my email and somebody sent me an email and said, 'Don't worry. We bought everything off your wish list and it will be here between the 14th and the 16th.' I was speechless, which doesn't happen very often. Having been a single parent, a parent that struggles somewhat to take that off of parents, I can't even describe it. I cry a lot. People cry with me."
Some of those people helped Harris label and prepare all of the gifts for pick up Monday and Tuesday.
"Everyone that I know comes in here all help," said Jackie Brewer, who works, grew up and raised a family in Dayton.
Through it all, Harris cannot help but think about her inspiration and the joy she continues to bring to Dayton.
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