RICHMOND, Va. — Bethany Christian Church is hosting a toy giveaway to make sure kids have gifts under the tree on Christmas.
The church, which is located on Forest Hill Avenue in Richmond, has a room full of toys volunteers have collected for single moms and their children for ages one to 17.
The fifth annual toy drive is being held by the WoMen of Connections Ministry nonprofit.
The organization partnered with Toys for Tots and other community partners to put on the event.
“This is one of our women empowerment programs,” Aanu-Oluwapo Adewusi, the founder of WoMen of Connections Ministry, explained. “As a single mom myself, there were Christmas times that I did not have enough. I didn't even have any. So my children were not looking forward to getting anything that Christmas. But when they get it, you see the joy in their spirit."
As a result, Adewusi said that the mission of helping single mother's "found her" so that she could "give back."
“Just to give back because I know somebody needs something. We all need something," Adewusi said. "And just to say, ‘We’re here to love you... We just love you.’”
Event organizers said 80 families with nearly 500 kids registered to receive gifts.
FULL INTERVIEW: WoMen of Connections Ministry founder on toy drive for single moms
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