SEAFORD, DE - The holiday spirit of giving continued to flourish in Sussex County as the OWIG Foundation hosted its fourth annual toy giveaway in Seaford.
Dozens of children received free Christmas presents, followed by an opportunity for a complimentary holiday family photo. Organizers stressed that the essence of this event lies in making Christmas accessible to everyone, particularly amidst rising prices.
"Especially right now, everything is going up – and we know the hardship that some parents might have. Even if we’re able to bless just one child, just put a smile on their face, that makes it all worth it." said Executive Director Gertha Jean.
Originating during the COVID-19 pandemic, with just a group of people coming together and buying presents, Jean says the toy giveaway has evolved over time. The organization makes an deliberate effort to reach out to the growing communities that use languages other than English, advertising in Spanish and Creole to ensure broader inclusivity.
"There’s so many resources out there, but so many of these communities don’t know about them. They haven’t heard about them or they don’t have the resources to get in contact with them." said Jean.
Isana Ventura, a volunteer translator, shared her perspective. Having immigrated from Guatemala to Sussex at only three months old, she says events like this made every Christmas feel special, despite language and economic barriers.
"I wanna say it’s because of organizations like this that we’re around Sussex County that allowed our parents to give us gifts. As kids, we didn’t realize what was going on, all we knew is that it was an amazing Christmas." said Ventura.
The OWIG foundation says they are always looking for volunteers and those looking to contribute.
