Needy families can still get toys from United Way during distribution on Tuesday
By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Several charitable groups as well as the HaysWalmart are cooperating to make Ellis County families's Christmas a little brighter.
The local organization Can You See Me?, the Schmidt Foundation and the United Way of Ellis County cooperated for a Shop with a Cop event for needy families on Sunday and Monday. Walmart was also a partner in the program and gave a gift bag to all of the families.
Mylissa Molnar, 15, was one of the family members who participated in the Shop with the Cop program on Sunday.
She helped her mom and brother pick up hygiene products, food and clothes with a gift card provided by the program.
Demetrius Chance, one of the organizers of Shop with a Cop, said this frees up money in the families's budgets to buy gifts for their children.
"It's helping our family a lot," Myliss said. "We don't have to worry as much about all of this other stuff we need to run the house so we can focus a little bit more on gift giving."
Both Mylissa and her brother were also able to pick out some clothes to take home, but Mylissa said her Christmas wish was not about presents.
"My overall wish every year is to have just a good Christmas in general," she said. "I don't look for a certain present. I am just thankful for what I get."
Andrew Sheely, FHSU police officer, was participating for the first time in the Shop with the Cop program.
"It just kind of gives a face behind the badge," Sheely said, who is in his second year as an FHSU officer.
"It gives people an idea that we are not just here to do the things we do on a day-to-day basis, but we are here in the community, trying to have a good time and help people out as much as possible."
The United of Way of Ellis County also received 350 toys this Christmas from the Good360 and Toys for Tots with assistance from the United Way of the Plains, some of which went to the Shop with a Cop families.
Good360 accepts donations of products from retailers, including Walmart, and name brands, such as Nike, Mattel and Disney to be given to people who are victims of natural disasters or have challenging life circumstances.
14,448 toys were distributed this year in the state of Kansas through the Good360 and Toys for Tots partnership.
The gifts in Ellis County were distributed to United Way partner agencies to be given to families in need. Toys were destined for KVC Hospital, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Salvation Army's Angel Tree project.
Erica Berges, United Way director, was still trying to place other toys within the United Way partner agencies on Thursday. The remainder of Good360 toys will distributed to those in need from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22 in the first floor conference room in the Hadley Center. People can contact the United Way at 785-628-8281 for more information.
"One nice thing about the community is there are so many places like Angel Tree," Berges said, "but there are still those families who either miss out on the deadline or I know I had someone call who just had something come up in the last week and 'All of the sudden I can't afford toys for my kids.'"
The last several years some families have been able to find toys for their children through the Pay It Forward Store, which has accepted new or gently used toys to be given away at Christmas.
Heather Gray, store founder, was unable to find a location for the store in Hays this year. The store was open one day only on Dec. 19 in LaCrosse. Some families expressed on the store's Facebook page that they needed gifts, but were unable to travel to LaCrosse.
Berges said the pandemic has caused difficult economic times for many local residents, making Christmas a greater financial burden.
"We are just glad we can bring [the gifts] to Ellis County," Berges said. "We want to help as many families and kids as we can with it."
