SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The items on these children’s wish lists are things that many people don’t think twice about buying, such as hygiene products, shampoo and conditioner.
New York nonprofit Things of My Very Own works with children and families in crisis.
“Children that have either experienced or been impacted by extensive abuse and neglect or who are at risk of a child protection protective services intervention,” CEO and Founder Rayn Boncie told WNYT.
This year Things of My Very Own is collecting holiday gifts for the families, and posted some of the gifts they asked for on Facebook.
One child wrote:
“I’m a 10 year old boy I want school snacks so i’m not the only one not eating during snack time at school.”
For Christmas, an 11-year-old girl is hoping for “warm blankets and a coat” adding “I like the color blue, I wear size 6 and I am a nice person.”
The holiday wishes are written on numbered tags that people can pick up if they want to buy and donate those presents.
While Boncie says it can be hard generating funds and gifts outside of the holiday season, she told WNYT that social media has given their outreach a boost this year. Boncie said they’ve been contacted by people wanting to help from as far away as Italy and Switzerland.
“When you basically have more than you can ask for, you got to share,” one man told the station while picking up tags.
