Spreading Christmas cheer one child at a time

HIGH POINT, N.C. — Children are again getting to experience the joy of choosing their own gifts this holiday season. As shopping carts roll through Target aisles, for these kids, this isn’t just another trip to the store. 

The Kiwanis Club of High Point carries on its mission this holiday season, hosting shopping sprees at Target where kids could pick out their own gifts. 

The organization’s leaders say roughly 260 kids from various community groups were able to spend around $150 to get any toys, clothes or shoes, just in time for Christmas.

This is Jeff Bullock’s first year volunteering at the Christmas Cheer Event. Bullock is a pastor at a High Point church.

“It’s amazing what they do investing in these kids,” Bullock said.

His church partners with one of those local nonprofits called Growing the Distance, providing the space for the group’s after-school program.

“They’ve been in our facility for about four, five years and 30 or 40 kids, and they just help assist kids with after-school programing and pick them up, and they’re amazing,” Bullock said.

This Christmas Cheer Event is funded by community donations.

In 2024, a report from the American Community Survey found that in North Carolina, 16% of children were experiencing poverty.

For 8-year-old, Bryson, there’s one toy that he’s been wanting for a while now, he says. It’s called a Tonies box, and it’s a music player he was able to receive at this year’s event.

He also received two Tonie audio characters, slime and a fidget toy. 

Bullock says its events like this, that are so important to kids during the holiday season.

“Who knows what the insecurities or the difficulties in life that they’re having or their families and all that, and so it’s great to give back,” Bullock said.

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