Winter Toy Drive Provides Holiday Gifts for Veteran Families

“The Winter Toy Drive is a donation-in-kind drive facilitated by the Social Work Veterans Resource Committee,” said Keia Suttle, Caregiver Support Program Supervisor and Veterans Resource Committee Chair with TVHS Social Work Service.

Suttle said the committee collaborates with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program to identify families in the program who wish to have their children sponsored during the holiday season. 

“The committee puts up trees and decorates them with traditional ornaments as well as ornaments customized with the children’s clothing sizes and toy wishes,” Suttle said. 

VA social workers and other VA employees then “adopt” the children, purchase clothing and toys, and return them to designated drop-off areas. HUD-VASH case managers then deliver the gifts and wrapping paper to the families for them to wrap and have their hand in the holiday tradition.

Suttle said the Social Work Veterans Resource Committee has participated in the Winter Toy Drive for the past seven years, and the program benefitted 83 families this holiday season. 

“Our committee recognizes that the holiday season can be a financial burden for many families; we also recognize and truly value the sacrifices our Veterans and their families have had to make,” Suttle explained. “In response, we've worked to think outside the box about ways that we might be able to support our Veteran population and potentially relieve some of the financial burdens and stress the holiday season can bring for them.”

Suttle said the act of gift giving can bring joy to the parents as well, which is why the Winter Toy Drive provides the gifts to the families unwrapped – it gives parents the opportunity to contribute to this experience alongside their children.

“The Winter Toy Drives are a reminder to us of why we joined the social work profession,” said Suttle. “It’s our opportunity to make a difference that’s tangible and foster community amongst the service. It boosts morale and gives us and the Veterans something to look forward to each year.”

The 2023 Winter Toy Drive was Suttle’s fifth year participating in the program and third year facilitating the initiative. 

“I have grown very passionate about the work this committee does in support of the families in the HUD-VASH Program,” Suttle said. “It is inspiring witnessing the number of social workers eager year-after-year to play a role in making a child’s holiday season fruitful. Having benefited from an initiative very similar to the Winter Toy Drive in my own childhood, my heart is full being in the position able to pay it forward.”

Suttle credits the 2023 Winter Toy Drive’s success to the Veterans Resource Committee members, HUD-VASH case managers, social workers and VA staff who donated, TVHS Center for Development and Civic Engagement and ethics committee.