If you’ve ever wondered where your toy and holiday donations go, you’re not alone. Every year at this time, cardboard boxes pop up at retailers asking you toss an unwrapped toy inside with no further requirements or information as to where it will end up. At the age of six, Jamie Ashbourne was horrified to learn that there was no way to make sure his donation got to the right person. Dropping unwrapped toys in a cardboard box for children in need seemed like a horror scene out of a Toy Story movie to him. “I was upset by the idea of random toys being tossed in a box, unwrapped with no idea of who would get them or how. How could they ever grant a child’s wish?” He wanted to give, he just felt that there could be a more personal way to do so. He wanted to wrap his donations and see the child’s face when they got the gift. So at the age of six, just one week before Christmans, he started his own toy drive in a cobbled together Santa Suit. But no donation organization would accept him or his sack of wrapped toys.
Even at that age, he remained undeterred and continued wrapping until he had a sack of toys that would rival Santa’s. Christmas was coming and all other toy drives were closed and already handing out their goods. With nowhere willing to accept his wrapped treasures, it was looking like it was all for nothing. When suddenly the elements aligned like something out of a movie to send Jamie to a daycare center in Stuart, Florida.
Now celebrating his 6th year of collecting lists and personally fulfilling, wrapping and delivering each item, The Elf Factory, is committed to granting personal wishes for children and families far and wide, last year he partnered with schools affected by the floods in Baton Rouge and even got some surprise help from the cast of the hit TV show Supernatural. In previous years he has helped families as far away as New Jersey who were affected by Super storm Sandy. This year there is no shortage of families who he need disaster relief in Texas, California and Florida.
If a young boy making out his own list to Santa, realizes that the spirit of the season is meant to touch people in a personal way, shouldn’t everyone?
Wish lists are coming in and Jamie is focused on fulfilling them by December 19th and is hoping that the rise in popularity of events like #GivingTuesday will inspire other aspiring Santas to join the cause. The Elf Factory is set up to take donations and requests online, at https://elffactory.org or you can just visit and read about one little guy on a mission.
About Elf Factory
12-year-old boy celebrates 6-years of helping families in need during the holidays
