South Canonsburg Church seeking donations for Baskets of Joy
Donations from last year's Gifts of Joy wait to bring smiles to the faces of those in need. This year, South Canonsburg Church hopes to collect enough small toys and pre-packaged candy to fill 70 Easter baskets.
After a one-year hiatus, Baskets of Joy is again collecting Easter basket toy and candy donations for local children in need. Donations can be made at South Canonsburg Church between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. this Saturday, April 2.
Easter baskets filled through the generosity of the community wait to be handed out via a contactless delivery in 2020. This year, the Baskets of Joy initiative will return to normal, and those receiving baskets can pick out fillers.
South Canonsburg Church is spreading baskets of joy this Easter season.
“We want to help,” said Adina Nestor, a volunteer who spearheads both the Gifts of Joy and Baskets of Joy campaigns. “Especially nowadays, the rising cost of everything is so crazy. I want to keep growing this. I want to touch the community.”
Baskets of Joy is hosting a donation drop-off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the church, 12 South Central Ave. The church is in need of pre-packaged candies and treats, small Easter basket-appropriate toys for children and teens and cash donations.
Nestor and volunteers are hoping to fill at least 70 baskets this year.
“A lot of the families that come to us, friends refer them, family members refer them,” said Nestor, who said Baskets of Joy extends beyond the church’s doors. “I’m not going to deny them. I always say, let me just look at what my donations are like.”
The donations have brought smiles to more than 60 faces each Christmas and Easter since the campaign began in December 2018. After hosting a successful Gifts of Joy campaign that Christmas, South Canonsburg Church launched Baskets of Joy in 2019.
Nestor said Baskets of Joy was a blessing to families in 2020; that year, Easter fell on April 12, roughly a month after the world shut down.
“Usually, we have the families come in. They get to pick out the items that they like,” said Nestor. “During the pandemic, we did a no-contact (event).”
Last year, the church was unable to provide baskets, so 2022 is a return to the joy-spreading tradition.
Nestor said she and the other volunteers are looking forward to an excellent donation event this weekend. The Easter basket sendoff will take place April 9.
“It’s truly something that comes from the volunteers’ hearts. We all love this,” said Nestor. “As much as we’re blessing families, we’re getting blessed in return.”
For more information on the donation drop-off event, or to refer someone for or request an Easter basket, contact Nestor at 724-263-0312.