The Community Engagement Center (CEC) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) buzzed with holiday spirit as volunteers and families gathered for the annual Christmas Store. Held at the CEC on Dec. 13 and 14, it featured tables overflowing with brand-name toys, puzzles, and scooters, all neatly arranged for shoppers to purchase at deeply discounted prices.
The Christmas Store is organized in partnership with UMB’s Office of Community and Civic Engagement (OCCE) and Foundry Church of Baltimore. This year, local CBS affiliate WJZ, UMB’s Staff Senate, and the University of Maryland Medical Center joined a Season of Giving campaign to help raise money for the store’s inventory.
“This is the third campuswide fundraising effort this fall, starting with the School ReSupply Drive and Thanksgiving Drive,” explained Brian Sturdivant, MSW, director of strategic initiatives and community partnerships at UMB. “Our campus community has been super-generous during this entire season, which has a big impact on our efforts to support our neighbors in West Baltimore.”
Longtime shopper Paulette Carroll, who has visited the store each of the nine years it has been held at the CEC, found gifts for her granddaughter and her “great, great, great nephews.” “Having the Christmas store here saves a lot of money, and it helps out a lot of people in the community,” she said, noting the savings would allow her to buy Christmas sweaters for her extended family.
Donors contributed to the Season of Giving campaign by providing funds or purchasing full-priced toys through Foundry Church’s online gift registry. Those items were later sold for between $1 and $10, enabling families to personally pick out presents without breaking their budget.
“We know that a lot of other Christmas initiatives let somebody else come in and take care of the presents for them,” said Lindsay Ferguson, operations pastor at Foundry Church. “But we thought there are some times that parents were getting missed in that equation. So, we wanted a place where parents could come pick things out, because parents know what their kids want the most.”
As shoppers browsed, many exchanged gift ideas and tips for children of different ages. Malika Brown, program specialist at OCCE, who volunteered at the store, noted, “I love how families come in, and while they may not know each other, they connect over a toy or an activity or even an age group. I just saw two families that have teenagers, and they didn’t know what to get — I saw them bouncing ideas off each other.”
By the end of the two-day event, more than 1,000 toys had been sold to 137 families, with the help of 82 volunteers. Proceeds from the sales, which totaled over $2,000, will be donated to Southwest Baltimore nonprofits focused on youth development and athletics.
During the event itself, volunteers and visitors alike shared a sense of excitement. Kids tugged at their parents, pointing to items they hoped would end up under the tree, while adults eyed puzzles, books, and stocking stuffers.
“I’m excited to wrap those gifts up for everybody,” Carroll said as she headed home. “I know they’re going to be excited.”