(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
CHENEY, Wash. -It's a simple wish for a big cause: giving the gift of joy and happiness to children. One Cheney man has made it his mission this Christmas to give to children in need. "I've always thought about doing something like this," said Andrew Graham.
There are four boxes under his Christmas tree but it's not for his family. "Last year, I bought a bunch of toys for the Ronald McDonald House and delivered those a couple days before Christmas and got to see all the kids unwrap the gifts and that was pretty cool," he said.
The boxes under his tree this year are for kids at the Ronald McDonald House and the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery. However, this year, he doesn't have a lot of money to donate all by himself. "Money is really tight for everything," he said.
That's because Andrew Graham is a 22-year-old college football player at Central Washington University, home for the holidays.
After doing what he did last year, he wanted to see if he could stretch his idea. "I put it on Facebook and try to get a whole community involvement and see where it goes," he said.
He's made it his mission to donate to different charities this year, creating his own holiday season gift drive, collecting new toys for children from three-years-old to 12.
If you ask him why he's doing this, his answer is really simple. "The world is bleeding right now and a lot of negative things are out. It's just so awesome to see everybody so geared towards helping during this time," said Graham.
A little holiday cheer can go a long way.
Below is one of Andrew Graham's flyers if you would like to help him out:
2017 HOLIDAY SEASON GIFT DRIVE
My name is Andrew Graham and I am a 22 year old college student from the Spokane area currently attending Central Washington University. I have wanted to do something like this in years past and I just wrapped up playing my last season of football at Central so I was able to get organized enough to put this together. I have contacted three charities and they are in need of different items for each charity. My goal doing this drive is to help take the holiday season stress off of families who may have other things going on and in need of gifts for their children, or to simply help a child who may not get to experience the joy of a fulfilling holiday season.
DUE TO SANITARY REASONS, ALL CHARITIES REQUEST BRAND NEW AND UNWRAPPED GIFTS
THE THREE CHARITIES: RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE, OGDEN HALL, AND VANESSA BEHAN CRISIS ARE IN NEED OF GIFTS LIKE
NEW TOYS FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-12
EASY TO READ CHILDREN’S BOOKS (THE ONES WITH CARDBOARD PAGES WERE HIGHLY SUGGESTED)
STUFFED ANIMALS
DIAPERS AND WIPES
KLEENEX, PAPER TOWELS, TOILET PAPER
ENFAMIL AND SIMILAC FORMULA
BABY FOOD
CRACKERS, CEREAL, CANNED FRUIT (ANYTHING NONPERISHABLE)
LAUNDRY DETERGENT
NEW CHILDREN’S CLOTHES (UP TO AGE 6)
NEW CHILDREN’S TOYS (UP TO AGE 6)
NEW BLANKETS
NEW BOTTLES AND SIPPY CUPS
GIFT CARDS FOR FOOD
ANYTHING ELSE FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-12
GIFT CARDS OF $10 INCRIMENTS TO:
SAFEWAY
LIFEWAY
WALMART
I will be around picking up the donations from this location once every few days or as needed so if you have any questions or need any clarification please feel free to ask me or contact me! I have advertised this through my Facebook page (Andrew Graham, profile picture of me walking a yellow lab) and on the page have a Go Fund Me account linked for anyone who may want to give financially! I will be taking all of the money out at the end of the drive on December 22nd and go shopping to fulfill the items here on the list. Thank you for your generosity and have a wonderful holiday season!
Gift Drive Locations:
Tin Cup Café
10013 W Charles Rd.Nine Mile Falls, WA 99026Business hours are M-F 6:30 A.M. -5:00 P.M.Saturday 7 A.M.- 5 P.M. and they are closed Sundays
Cheney Realty
1823 1st STCheney, WA 99004Business hours are M-F 9:00 A.M.- 5:00 P.M.Saturday 9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. and they are closed Sundays
Spokane Windermere North
9017 N Country Homes BlvdSpokane, WA 99218Business hours are M-F 8:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M.Closed both Saturday and Sunday