Miracles for Kids prepares gifts of food and toys
by Ellysse James, The Orange County Register
Tustin, Calif. (April 3, 2009) –
Baskets filled with candy, plastic eggs and stuffed animals were put together assembly-line style Friday to deliver to low-income families of patients at Children's Hospital of Orange County.
The Baskets for Miracles program is part of Irvine-based Miracles for Kids, a nonprofit that works to improve the lives of children with life-threatening illness. The group works with CHOC to give grants and to help families in financial need. Money is raised for research into ending childhood diseases. Just more than 200 families are receiving grants through the group, said Autumn Strier, executive director of Miracles for Kids.
"We're trying to do as much as we can to help them get through it," Strier said.
Volunteers met up at swim apparel manufacturer Raj Manufacturing on Friday to assemble the baskets, which will be delivered to 160 families in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The character baskets hold toys, plastic eggs filled with candy and stuffed animals. The children's baskets will be placed in larger baskets containing toys for siblings and family items, including towels, five pounds of chicken, milk, eggs, canned food, fresh fruit and vegetables.
The food will be added Monday, at the Pacifica Foods packaging plant in Corona, and then the goods will be delivered to the families along with a note from Miracles for Kids.
"I think it's rewarding in the end," said volunteer Stefanie Gordon, an operations administrative assistant at Red Rock Security and Cabling. "It's hands-on. We're actually going to the families' houses to deliver these. It's very touching when you see the kids' faces."
Miracles for Kids delivers baskets three times a year, in April, September and December.
Sponsors include Kohl's in Rancho Santa Margarita, Wal-Mart, Ryder, Houdini Inc., Pacifica Foods, Rockview Farms, Norco Egg Co., Appa Fine Foods and Veg-Fresh Farms.
This is the first year the group has met in Tustin. Previously, baskets were assembled in Irvine.
